Collins Okinyo has unleashed his discontent views regarding CAF’s quest to restructure Africa Cup of Nation and introduce new competition.
Yesterday, in a press conference organized by the mother governing body of Africa’s football ecosystem at Rabat-Morocco, spearheaded by the Confederation’s President Mr Patrice Motsepe announced the new formats designed for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
During the presser, President Patrice Motsepe did not hesitate to enlist the new cash prizes allocated to the various teams that succeed in attaining the various spots in the 2025 AFCON.
The president iterated that, the next AFCON champion will receive USD$10,000,000 million, runner-up USD$4000,000, Semi-finalists USD$2,500,000, Quarter finalists USD$1,3000,000, Round of 16 USD$800,000, 3rd-placed teams in group stage USD$700,000, and 4th place teams in group stage USD$500,000.
In that vein, the new developments with respect to the reviewed and improved cash prizes certainly was an impressive and delightful message to the participating teams which then indicated the hard-work of President Patrice Motsepe’s administration.
Then again, the turmoil conversation which has birthed divergent opinions within Africans was the President of the Confederation of African Football highlighting the new formats set for the AFCON.
Currently, the African Cup of Nations is scheduled to be played in every two years – this arraignments has come under a lot of backlash from the European. Some European pundits like Jamie Carragher and coaches such as the former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp have all publicly announced their displease in the time-frames in which the competition is always organized.
Now, CAF during yesterday’s press briefing had announced that, the calendar for the AFCON has been changed from been organized in every two years to four years plus, a new Nations League has will be introduce from 2029.
On the back this, the Ex-CAF Media Expert, Mr Collins Okinyo has bemoaned the Confederation’s intention of succumbing to the European pressure, “Why is Africa giving out its long held heritage of hosting AFCON every two years just to please Europe by pushing it to a 4 year cycle?
Finally, Collins Okinyo further questioned the reasoning behind the Confederation of Africa’s decision to discontinue the usual heritage of organizing the AFCON in every two years,” should Africa bend to whatever Europe wants?”
