Reigning Nigeria Professional Football League champion, Enyimba face a daunting task winning the inaugural African Football League competition after being drawn against Wydad Casablanca in the quarter-final of the competition.
The African Football League draw took place on Saturday in Cairo and will take place between October 20 and November 11, 2023. Enyimba will be determined by the outcome of the quarter-final match between TP Mazembe and Esperance.
In the quarter-finals, Mamelodi Sundowns will meet Petro de Luanda, with the victor facing the winner of Simba SC vs. Al Ahly in a potential semi-final game.
Participation in the African Football League costs qualified clubs N529 million, emphasising the importance and prestige of this new competition.
The nine-time NPFL champions will play their home games at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo.
Each tie will be played over two legs with the final scheduled for November 5 and 11 in a competition offering a $10m prize money.
The competition was called the Africa Super League when launched in Tanzania last year, but CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the name was changed after advice from undisclosed Europeans.
“Our friends in Europe advised us not to use the expression ‘super league’,” Motsepe said.
“This advice was based on negative associations with the failed attempt in 2021 to launch a super league in Europe.”