Head of the Nigeria Women Football League, Aisha Falode, has declared that the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to work towards the actualization of the Women’s CAF Champions League in the 2021 football season would be a dream come true for her.
CAF is to take a final decision on the women’s league at their next meeting in Cairo.
Falode noted that when she first mooted the idea of the league to Nigeria female club owners at the closing ceremony of the NWPL Super 4 two years ago at the Agege Stadium, Lagos, she never knew the leadership of CAF would actualise her dream in a short time.
Falode, who is also a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), stressed that the success recorded by Nigeria’s Super Falcons that played with seven players from the domestic NWPL at the France 2019 Women’s World Cup, must have played a prominent role in the decision taken by CAF to uplift women’s club football in the continent.
“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 got 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 is great . That’s way above average for a good number to start the CAF Women’s Champions League as the time is ripe and right for Africa to have a women’s Champions League,” reasoned Falode.
The accomplished sports journalist admonished CAF to come up with strategies that would support and fund teams that would participate in the competition.