African Nations League: Nigeria Set for Ghana Rivalry, Senegal Test, With N14bn Prize at Stake
- The Super Eagles are set to go head-to-head with continental heavyweights which includes reigning AFCON champions Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana, in the newly introduced African Nations League
- CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced that the competition will begin in 2029 and will run across four regional zones, introducing a fresh structure to African football.
- The African Nations League will follow a home-and-away zonal system, with winners progressing to a continental finals stage and a massive $10 million (N14bn) prize awaiting the overall champions
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Regional rivalries are set to be reignited when the African Nations League gets underway as the Super Eagles get ready to face reigning AFCON champions Senegal, former champions Cote d’Ivoire, and fierce rivals Ghana.
This was made known by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who announced that the annual African Nations League will kick off in 2029 and it will be played across four regional zones of the continent - North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa.
Source: Getty Images
What is the African Nations League?
The African Nations League, which was inspired by the UEFA Nations League, is intended to keep the rivalries in Africa still fierce, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) being set shift to a four-year cycle from 2028.
It is believed that the new competition will be held every two years and will fit in between the AFCON, as the 2025 edition continues to generate several discussions one month after the final.
Motsepe formally unveiled the competition’s format and calendar during the CAF Executive Committee meeting on Friday, February 13, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to him, the African Nations League will operate on a zonal, home-and-away format rather than being hosted in a single nation.
Zonal winners will then advance to a continental finals stage, where a host will be selected to stage the finals. Although the continental finals will not be tied to a permanent host.
CAF president Motsepe also announced a $10 million (N14bn) prize for the overall champions, underscoring its ambition to establish the competition as a major fixture in African football.
Source: Getty Images
Format for the Africa Nations League
The tournament will be divided into four geographic zones. The Super Eagles have been placed in the 16-nation West Africa Zone, where they will face long-standing rivals the Senegal national football team, the Ghana national football team, the Ivory Coast national football team, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, during the group phase.
The four geographic zones below:
North Africa (6 nations): Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Mauritania.
East Africa (16 nations): Including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Rwanda.
West Africa (16 nations): Including Nigeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
Central and Southern Africa (16 nations): Including DR Congo, South Africa, Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
CAF provides crucial update on AFCON 2027
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has issued a firm statement to end speculation surrounding the fate of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The African football governing body noted that the report suggesting that the tournament could be pushed to 2028 due to concerns over readiness in the host countries is “totally unfounded.”
Source: Legit.ng
