More prize money for African competitions

JOHANNESBURG: All CAF competitions will offer increased prize money from 2017, the Cairo-based African football body said Wednesday.
The announcement came months after French oil-gas company Total signed an eight-year sponsorship deal with CAF reportedly worth more than one billion dollars (RM4.26 billion).
Winners of the biennial Africa Cup of Nations will receive US$4 million, up from the US$1.5 million pocketed by 2015 champions the Ivory Coast.
CAF Champions League title-holders are going to collect US$2.5 million – US$1 million more than South African club Mamelodi Sundowns received last month.
There is an even bigger percentage increase for winners of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup with first prize increasing from US$660,000 to US$1.25 million.
Both the Champions League and Confederation Cup group phases – where prize money kicks in – will expand next year from eight to 16 clubs.
Winners of the annual CAF Super Cup match between Champions League and Confederation Cup title-holders pocket US$100,000, a 33.3% rise.
The biennial African Nations Championship for home-based footballers is another competition to get a cash boost with first prize climbing by US$500,000 to US$1.25 million.
Travel costs are a huge challenge for African teams with flights from one country to another often involving lengthy stop-overs in the Middle East and Europe to trim expenses.
Clubs like Sundowns are better placed because the Pretoria-based outfit is owned by mining magnate Patrice Motsepe.
But in poorer African countries, teams rely on government financial assistance to play in CAF and FIFA competitions. — AFP