THE AFRICAN Championship of Nations is a new football competition to be launched by the African Football Confederation (CAF). During an executive committee meeting in Johannesburg last week, CAF announced the creation of the new tournament which will include players based only in their home country's domestic league. Stars playing in Europe and even those who have moved to other African leagues will not be allowed to take part. So in the case of teams like Ghana and Nigeria, the vast majority of their current national squad would be counted out. Qualifications for the new event will start in 2008 and the finals will take place in 2009 . "Within this context and with the purpose of achieving the set goals, we strive to give to the local African players the possibility to showcase their talents and abilities, but also to bring to a higher level the national championships in Africa, and to boost their importance," CAF President Issa Hayatou said. "We have decided to create a new competition that will showcase the best national teams of Africa, exclusively featuring players who are active in the national championships and qualified to play the ongoing season." The championship will be divided in two phases. The eight finalists will be determined as follows. One team which has qualified will represent each of the following zones: the north, west A, West B, centre and the east zones. Two other teams will represent the south zone and one team will represent the host country. The championship will be staged once every two years, alternating with the African Cup of Nations (CAN). The qualifying phase will take place every even year and the final every odd year. The idea is that home-based players will have an opportunity to showcase their talent at a major competition, and to elevate the status of Africa's domestic leagues. However, the creation of the new competition has raised questions about whether it will provide enough glamour and top-quality football as the CAN, whether it will be able to attract sponsorship, and will cash- strapped national associations be able to afford sending their national team for qualifying matches. Those supporting the event think it will help motivate home-based players who are often sidelined, allowing them to show their talent more which could in turn give them the opportunity to play in European leagues. Those in favour also believe it would be marketable and would lead to developing African football. Again, those against believe it makes no sense, that it's a waste of time, a weaker duplication of the older event and will be looked upon as a second-class imitation. Beyond the club competitions, the MTN Champions League and the Confederation Cup, CAF also regularly organises numerous other competitions for all age categories, as well as for the Olympic Games, women's football, futsal, and, more recently, beach soccer. The African Cup of Nations, the 26th edition of which will be staged at the beginning of next year in Ghana, has become an outstanding international sport event and a prestigious tournament. The CAN owes this standing to the dedicated effort and the concrete reforms undertaken by CAF, and to the progress made by its associations and to their active and regular participation in tournaments. And, by its statutes, mission statements and goals, CAF is committed to promoting and developing football in Africa. These statutes proclaim, in the article concerning the goals of CAF, that these are the development of cooperation in friendship, of exchanges and solidarity among member associations and among zonal unions, as well as the organisation of national and international competitions.
