The highly anticipated African Football League (AFL) kicked off on Friday with the inaugural match between Tanzania's Simba Sports Club and Egypt's Al Ahly at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The match, which was watched by Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, was an intense encounter in which both teams put up a good fight. Al Ahly took the lead late in the first half through star midfielder Reda Slim.
However, Simba Sports Club fought back in the early minutes of the second half and equalized through their striker Kibu Denis. A few minutes later, Simba's Sadio Kanoute scored a second goal to boost his team's chances of victory. Just four minutes later, Al Ahly scored the equalizer. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with both teams sharing the spoils.
The AFL, which was announced for the first time in 2019, is expected to generate $100 million in revenue, making it one of the top ten leagues in the world. The essence of hosting this tournament is the huge financial returns that will be used to develop and improve stadiums, infrastructure and the promotion of African football.
The 2023 AFL is a precursor to next season's full AFL competition, which will feature 22 of Africa's top clubs. CAF and FIFA say the AFL will raise the quality of African club football, making it more watchable and appealing to a wider audience.
In addition, the league is expected to dramatically increase revenues to fund improvements in infrastructure and playing conditions across the continent and encourage more players to stay in Africa rather than move to developed countries.