The Confederation of African Football has begun discussions with 117 clubs over the growing financial and logistical burden of competing in its interclub competitions, with travel costs emerging as one of the biggest concerns ahead of the new season.
Representatives of 61 CAF Champions League clubs and 56 Confederation Cup teams took part in a virtual meeting on Friday, as the African governing body explored ways to ease the pressure created by long-distance travel, complicated routes and rising operational expenses.
The meeting was chaired by African Clubs Association president Hersi Said, with CAF Finance Director Richard Torsu also participating.
Among the major concerns raised by the clubs were lengthy transit routes, multiple airport transfers, travel between different countries and the escalating cost of international journeys.
The discussions come after clubs competing in the preliminary rounds raised concerns about CAF’s current financial arrangements, particularly the structure of the participation grant.
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Under the existing arrangement cited during the discussions, $50,000 is deducted from the $100,000 participation grant once a club progresses to the group stage and continues in the competition.
Clubs eliminated in either of the first two preliminary rounds, meanwhile, receive the full participation grant.
With the cost of travelling across the continent continuing to rise, clubs argued that the financial burden extends well beyond simply covering match-related expenses.
CAF and the African Clubs Association have now asked participating teams to submit detailed financial and travel budgets showing the costs they expect to incur throughout their continental campaigns.
The information will allow CAF to assess the scale of the problem and consider possible changes to its financial structure, including stronger assistance with travel and operational expenses.
The possibility of establishing solidarity funds to support clubs competing in the Champions League and Confederation Cup was also discussed.
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Hersi Said assured the participating clubs that CAF president Patrice Motsepe supports efforts to address the problems, with the broader objective of simplifying travel arrangements, reducing unnecessary expenditure and improving conditions for African clubs competing internationally.
The timing of the talks is significant, with the 2026-27 CAF interclub season fast approaching.
First-leg matches in the opening preliminary round are scheduled for September 4-6, with the return legs set for September 11-13.
The second preliminary round will follow, with first-leg fixtures scheduled for October 16-18 and return matches from October 23-25. The group stage is scheduled to begin on November 27.
For clubs operating with limited financial resources, the continental journey can become an expensive test long before they reach the later stages of the competition.
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The challenge now is to turn the discussions into practical measures that can reduce travel costs and ensure that participation in CAF competitions does not become an overwhelming financial burden for clubs across the continent.
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