Caf clarification cleared way for PSL to approve Sundowns’ AFL participation

The Confederation of African Football’s (Caf) clarification that the African Football League (AFL) is a Caf-organised competition swayed the Premier Soccer League’s (PSL) decision to allow space on its calendar for Mamelodi Sundowns’ participation in the new tournament.

The PSL on Friday held a board of governors (BoG) meeting to reverse an earlier decision by the BoG, which consists of the 32 DStv Premiership and Motsepe Foundation Championship teams, to not make space for Downs’ participation in the hugely lucrative inaugural AFL.

This cleared the way for Sundowns’ last-16 match against TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium in the newly launched Carling Knockout Cup, which has replaced the Telkom Knockout, to be brought forward to Wednesday (7.30pm).

After that domestic cup game Downs will fly to Angola for the first leg of their AFL quarterfinal against Petro de Luanda at Luanda’s Estádio 11 de Novembro on Friday.

The second leg is at Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld on October 24.

TimesLIVE has been informed that the PSL’s initial decision to effectively block Downs’ participation by not altering its calendar was based on having received correspondence from the AFL’s organisers on the dates of the competition, but not directly from Caf.

Once the continental ruling body made it clear through correspondence with the PSL that the AFL is a Caf-organised tournament, the league had to make allowance for Sundowns’ participation in the competition.

The AFL boasts staggering prize money of $4m (R75m) for the winners, $3m (R57m) for the runners-up, $1.7m (R32m) for the semifinalists and $1m (R19m) for the quarterfinalists.

The two-legged semifinals are on October 29 and November 1 and the final is on November 5 and 11.

Sundowns are owned by mining magnate and Caf president Patrice Motsepe, who has stepped aside from the club while he heads the continental body. His son, Tlhopie Motsepe, is chair of the Brazilians in the meantime. 

Downs, who have won a record-equalling all eight matches to lead the Premiership, suffered their first setback of the 2023-24 season when they lost on penalties to Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final in Durban on October 7.

Galaxy are in 12th place in the league from two wins, three draws and three defeats.