The 2023 African Football League was the first and only edition of Africa's international club football tournament, the African Football League, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
This season was meant to be a precursor tournament to the full fledged version, which will start in the 2024âÂÂ25 season, after being delayed a year.
The competition, initially announced in 2022 as the Africa Super League, was to involve 24 teams divided into three geographical regions and have a promotion-relegation system. The competition was delayed from August to October 2023, renamed to the African Football League, and revised into an eight-team knockout format for its inaugural season. This season was meant to be a precursor, as the originally announced format was supposed to be introduced starting in 2024âÂÂ25, though this was later cancelled.
The schedule was as follows.
Each tie was played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The team that scored more goals on aggregate over the two legs advanced to the next round. If the aggregate score was level, the away goals rule was applied, i.e. the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs advanced. If away goals were also equal, then extra time was not played and the winners were decided by a penalty shoot-out.
The African Football League involved 8 teams chosen by the CAF to enter the tournament.
The bracket was decided after the draw for the knockout stage (quarter-finals, semi-finals and final), which was held on 2 September 2023, 16:00 GMT (19:00 local time, ), at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The first legs were played on 20, 21 and 22 October, and the second legs were played on 24 and 26 October 2023.
3âÂÂ3 on aggregate. Al Ahly won on away goals.
Espérance de Tunis won 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Wydad AC won 4âÂÂ0 on aggregate.
Mamelodi Sundowns won 2âÂÂ0 on aggregate.
The first legs were played on 29 October, and the second legs were played on 1 November 2023.
Mamelodi Sundowns won 1âÂÂ0 on aggregate.
1âÂÂ1 on aggregate. Wydad AC won 5âÂÂ4 on penalties.
The first leg was played on 5 November, and the second leg was played on 12 November 2023.
Mamelodi Sundowns won 3âÂÂ2 on aggregate.