NWFL: Aisha Falode Applauds CAF For Proposed Women’s Champions League, prescribes ingredients for success
The Chairperson of Nigeria Women’s Football League, NWFL, Aisha Falode has applauded the Confederation of African Football, CAF for their proposed Women’s CAF Champions League.
In an exclusive interview, Aisha Falode said that the CAF Women’s Champions League is a good initiative from CAF which has long been expected.
“This is a very bold move and initiative from CAF. It’s long been expected. People have advocated for it and desired it on the continent for the young women who continue to play good football all around Africa. When people say that we do not have the required number of teams to play the Women’s CAF Champions League.
" I wonder where they would get that notion from. As we speak, we have over 33 countries scattered across the continent where organized women’s football league is played. Even if we don’t have that required number, considering 33 out of 54/55 countries. That’s way above average for a good number to start the CAF Women’s Champions League.
" With over 33 operational women’s leagues in Africa, Falode opined that the time is ripe and right for Africa to have a women’s Champions League as she admonished CAF to come up with strategies that will support and fund teams that would participate in the competition.
“When we look back to when the African Women’s Championship, what we now today know as the African Women’s Cup of Nations when it started. Look at where we are today, from eight, we are thinking of expanding to 16 in the next edition. A journey of a thousand miles they say begins with a step.
" If we say we are not ready with 33 teams, I don’t know when we will ever be ready. Therefore, we must commend CAF for listening to those who have called for this to happen for a couple of years. If you want to play the CAF Women’s Champions League, you really must also come up with strategies to make it easier for funding both for the countries and for the teams that would participate. I think this would be the next stage for us to address.”
“The question of funding and support for the teams that would play in the Champions League and the model that is to be adopted for playing the league. Are you going to start from zones? When you have the zonal champions, would you then converge all the zonal champions to a location where they play for the trophy? These are all the modalities that CAF must now seat down with the Women’s Football Department of the Confederation to sort of brainstorm about to come up with the best and the easier and pocket-friendly funding for the teams that would participate in the competition.
" I look forward to it as the Chairperson of the Nigeria Women’s Football League, NWFL, the oldest league in Africa, and the pioneers of women’s football in Africa. I am excited about it and I think all the lovers, and stakeholders that really want women’s football to develop and grow and be among the best in the world should commend and applaud CAF for.”
With the attention of the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA now on women’s football with recent grants, Falode asserted that it will be laudable for CAF to capitalize on the current opportunities to work towards new competitions and initiatives for the development of women’s football in Africa.
In an exclusive interview, Aisha Falode said that the CAF Women’s Champions League is a good initiative from CAF which has long been expected.
“This is a very bold move and initiative from CAF. It’s long been expected. People have advocated for it and desired it on the continent for the young women who continue to play good football all around Africa. When people say that we do not have the required number of teams to play the Women’s CAF Champions League.
" I wonder where they would get that notion from. As we speak, we have over 33 countries scattered across the continent where organized women’s football league is played. Even if we don’t have that required number, considering 33 out of 54/55 countries. That’s way above average for a good number to start the CAF Women’s Champions League.
" With over 33 operational women’s leagues in Africa, Falode opined that the time is ripe and right for Africa to have a women’s Champions League as she admonished CAF to come up with strategies that will support and fund teams that would participate in the competition.
“When we look back to when the African Women’s Championship, what we now today know as the African Women’s Cup of Nations when it started. Look at where we are today, from eight, we are thinking of expanding to 16 in the next edition. A journey of a thousand miles they say begins with a step.
" If we say we are not ready with 33 teams, I don’t know when we will ever be ready. Therefore, we must commend CAF for listening to those who have called for this to happen for a couple of years. If you want to play the CAF Women’s Champions League, you really must also come up with strategies to make it easier for funding both for the countries and for the teams that would participate. I think this would be the next stage for us to address.”
“The question of funding and support for the teams that would play in the Champions League and the model that is to be adopted for playing the league. Are you going to start from zones? When you have the zonal champions, would you then converge all the zonal champions to a location where they play for the trophy? These are all the modalities that CAF must now seat down with the Women’s Football Department of the Confederation to sort of brainstorm about to come up with the best and the easier and pocket-friendly funding for the teams that would participate in the competition.
" I look forward to it as the Chairperson of the Nigeria Women’s Football League, NWFL, the oldest league in Africa, and the pioneers of women’s football in Africa. I am excited about it and I think all the lovers, and stakeholders that really want women’s football to develop and grow and be among the best in the world should commend and applaud CAF for.”
With the attention of the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA now on women’s football with recent grants, Falode asserted that it will be laudable for CAF to capitalize on the current opportunities to work towards new competitions and initiatives for the development of women’s football in Africa.
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