CAF Committee recommends rejection of proposal to expand African club competitions

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Competitions Committee has reportedly recommended rejecting a proposal to increase the number of clubs participating in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup from the 2026/27 season.

According to a report by Moroccan publication Al-Botola, the committee reached the decision after reviewing a request submitted to CAF seeking an expansion of the continent’s two major club competitions.

The proposal was pushed by Egyptian Football Association (EFA) President Hani Abu Rida, who recently revealed that an official request had been sent to CAF calling for each member association to receive an additional slot in the African club tournaments.

Under the proposed system, each country would be granted one extra place in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup, with qualification positions determined based on CAF’s ranking criteria.

However, the Competitions Committee is said to have opposed the idea, citing reasons outlined in an official memorandum addressed to CAF Secretary-General Samson Adamu.

The Moroccan report indicated that Adamu subsequently contacted CAF President Patrice Motsepe to discuss the committee’s position before preparing an official response to the Egyptian Football Association regarding the request.

A member of the CAF Executive Committee, who spoke on the matter, reportedly declined to provide details about the proposal, stating that it had not yet been formally presented to the Executive Committee.

The official also added that members of the Executive Committee had not received notification of any meeting scheduled to discuss the issue in the near future.

If approved, the expansion proposal would have significantly altered the structure of CAF’s club competitions by increasing participation opportunities for clubs across Africa. However, the latest recommendation from the Competitions Committee suggests that the current format could remain unchanged ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

CAF is expected to communicate its final decision to the Egyptian Football Association after further consultations among its leadership and relevant committees.