Samartex FC players
Samartex and Nsoatreman FC, Ghana’s representatives in this year’s CAF inter-club competitions, will each receive $50,000 for participating in the preliminary rounds of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, respectively.
Samartex, the reigning Ghana Premier League champions, will kick off their campaign against Cameroon’s Victoria United, while Nsoatreman FC, winners of the Ghana FA Cup, will face Elect Sport FC from Chad.
This development marks the first time CAF is offering financial assistance at this stage of the competitions. Previously, clubs had to reach the group stages to be eligible for prize money.
On August 16, 2024, CAF announced that $50,000 would be allocated to clubs participating in the first phase of the competitions.
“In line with the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) President Dr. Patrice Motsepe’s promise to improve club competitions and provide more financial assistance to clubs, the clubs participating in the preliminary stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will receive USD 50,000 each,” a statement from CAF read.
The first preliminary round begins with first leg matches scheduled between August 16-18, followed by return legs from August 23-25, 2024.
The second preliminary round is set for September, with group stage spots on the line.
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe had promised to improve club competitions and provide more financial support to participating clubs, and this initiative is part of that commitment.