POLL | AFL’s R76m prize: if not Sundowns, which SA team should compete?

The battle for the R76m prize of the African Football League (AFL) and which South African team should compete has  been met with mixed reaction.

After the PSL resolved to effectively block Mamelodi Sundowns' participation in the inaugural AFL, some supporters on social media called for more teams to be included as Sundowns was the only South African club invited to the eight-team event.

Others questioned why the club of Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe was the one included. Some pointed out that 2016 Caf Champions League winners, Sundowns, who reached their ninth consecutive group stage in that competition this week have easily the best continental record of a South African club so are the natural choices to represent the country in the AFL.

On Saturday Caf announced the prize money for the hugely lucrative new continental tournament.

The prizes: 

• the winner of the tournament will walk way with R76m; 

• the runner-up with R57m; 

• each of the semi-finalists with R32m; and

• each of the quarter-finalists will get R19m. 

Sundowns were set to compete for the millions against seven teams — Al Ahly (Egypt), Simba SC (Tanzania), Enyimba FC (Nigeria), Wydad AC (Morocco), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) and Atlético Petróleos de Luanda (Angola). 

However, the PSL's board reportedly voted not to make space in the DStv Premiership calendar for Downs' participation in the AFL.

Some fans on social media supported Sundowns' participation in the tournament while others raised concerns about how the team's participation could affect local fixtures. The AFL starts on October 20. 

Social media user Billy Mphahlele said: “Sundowns have enough squad to play for both [PSL and AFL] without altering DStv fixtures. This jealousy must not hide in the name of 'fixtures' as Caf will continue with this interclub competition.

“If PSL make Sundowns not to participate, Caf have all rights to ban PSL and Safa to not participate in any of continental soccer activities, which means Bafana Bafana will be disqualified with immediate effect.” 

Another social media user, Velocity Meme, said: “I thought this league would have at least two or three teams from all the leagues, which can cause some games to be cancelled. For now, I don't see the reason to postpone games for one team.” 

Marilele Amilca Maluleke said: “If Pirates and Chiefs were part of the selected teams, the PSL board could have voted differently and thus this decision to vote against the participation of Mamelodi Sundowns was irrational and based on emotions. Caf doesn't pick up any team from the street; they normally use a point system that derives from winnings in all Caf competitions and domestic ones.” 

The eight-team AFL in 2023 is a pilot for the “super league” concept tournament before its planned expansion to 24 teams in 2024, at which stage Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are expected to join Sundowns in the competition.