Nigerian Clubs Risk Losing Extra Slot in CAF League

CAF CLUB COMPETITIONS

Femi Solaja

Following the elimination of Plateau United and MFM FC from the elite continental club competition, CAF Champions League and the subsequent drop to the second tier CAF Confederation Cup, Nigeria may lose the right to field two clubs in subsequent editions of the topflight based on CAF’s coefficient and performance rating in the recent years.

The continental football ruling body introduced the format which was a template from UEFA for its clubs competitions and is based on the strength of the respective domestic leagues.

Nigeria, according to Article 2 under general provision of Champions League regulation, is one of the 12 countries CAF granted automatic two slots for the winner and runner up of the domestic league for a period of five years.

Within that period of five years from 2013-17, the coefficient have been counting and Nigeria has one of the lowest rating within the stipulated calendar with the latest scenario not an advantage for the country having failed to play in the money spinning CAF League for the second year running.

According to the regulations, this ongoing season’s result only comes to effect in the next two seasons. What this translate to is that the slots for 2019 season is dependent on the 2013-17 in which Nigerian clubs have fared woefully.

While the NPFL defending Champions, Plateau United was edged out by high profile Etoile Du Sahel of Tunisia 4-3 on aggregate, continental cup debutants, MFM FC was scandalised by more experienced MC Algers 7-2 on aggregate and thus confirmed the supremacy of North African countries in club competitions.

The Maghreb countries have seven representatives going into the draw ceremony of the CAF Champions League tomorrow in Cairo, Egypt.

However, Nigeria still have a lifeline should all the four representatives including Enyimba FC and Akwa United produce brilliant performances in the second tier competition, Confederation Cup whose draw for final play-off is also taking place today at the CAF secretariat in Cairo, Egypt.

It will be the first time in the history of the competition that four clubs from Nigeria will feature in the play-off round of the CAF Confederation Cup.

On records, Algeria and Morocco still have their two representatives while Southern Africa have five representatives and West Africa is left with two candidates with Central Africa in the rear with just one representative.