In a bid to promote gender equality and elevate women’s football in Africa, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has implemented a new rule stating that any men’s team without a women’s counterpart will be ineligible to participate in future CAF Champions League competitions, starting from the 2023/24 season.
This decision aligns with CAF’s commitment to prioritize the growth and development of women’s football, as highlighted in the four-year women’s football strategic plan introduced in November 2021.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has been vocal about his ambition to transform women’s football during his tenure. He envisions significant progress and success in women’s football, even suggesting the possibility of an African nation winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup before a men’s team achieves the same feat.
“We want women’s football, in the period of my presidency, to be significantly growing, progressing and prospering. Someone was saying to me, we could actually have an African nation winning the Fifa Women’s World Cup before we have a male team doing so,” the former Mamelodi Sundowns president was qouted saying.
The CAF Club Licensing Board has officially stated that clubs must establish a women’s team in order to qualify for participation in the upcoming 2023-2024 CAF Champions League and subsequent editions.
In the Ghanaian football landscape, only Hearts of Oak in the top-flight league currently have a competitive women’s team, represented by Nimobi Ladies FC in the Women’s Division One League. Asante Kotoko had previously expressed interest in adopting Fabulous Ladies ahead of the 2020/21 season, although the initiative did not materialize.
Consequently, other Ghanaian clubs participating in the Premier League will need to establish women’s teams to fulfill the requirements for African competitions starting from the next season.
Currently, it is anticipated that either Medeama SC or Bechem United, both competing for the 2022/23 betPawa Premier League title, will represent Ghana in the CAF Champions League. Additionally, King Faisal and Dreams FC will vie for the MTN FA Cup, which offers an opportunity to participate in the CAF Confederation Cup.
However, based on the latest directive from CAF, none of these clubs meet the eligibility criteria due to the absence of a women’s team.
But in order to participate in the CAF Club competitions, clubs that do not currently have a women’s team have the option to affiliate with an entity that operates a women’s first team club. It is crucial for these clubs to collaborate with one of the women’s premier league teams to ensure their acceptance into the competition in the upcoming season. By forming a partnership or affiliation, these clubs can meet the requirements set by CAF and enable their participation in continental competitions.
This development underscores the significance of establishing women’s teams within Ghanaian clubs, enabling their inclusion in continental competitions and promoting gender equality within football.
