John Comitis Questions Whether African Football League Is Good for Domestic Leagues

• John Comits has been part of South African football as a player and owner of numerous clubs
• Comitis is a longstanding member of the Premier Soccer League Executive Committee
• Comitis resurrected Cape Town City in 2016 when he purchased Mpumalanga Black Aces

There may only be enough days in a year to play football.

The introduction of the African Football League (AFL) has been subdued but will become a large part of the continental footballing landscape.

The tournament was hastily approved in October but is set to see a wide expansion which will have a ripple effect on the South African top division.

Domestic football kingpin, John Comitis, has voiced concerns about the long-term impact of the new continental super league.

SABC Sport reported on Comitis' comments, stating:

"This could affect us seriously down the line and we don’t want to be just another country with a disorganised league without revenue and funding when it’s taken us this long to build one of the best leagues on the continent."

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Football

Mamelodi Sundowns were the only South African participants and were initially denied the opportunity, as reported by Al Jazeera.

In order to participate in the AFL, Sundowns needed to reschedule several fixtures. Comitis is concerned that the calendar will be unable to accommodate too many matches.

Comitis said that the PSL Executive were managing the situation but felt that expansion could place untenable pressure on the domestic league, compromising its quality.

Qualification criteria is also murky, with the Cape Town City boss questioning if all South African teams will have a shot at the mammoth prize money.

"I am not sure if this is an elite boys’ club, by selection or by merit. Those things aren’t clear to us."

Sundowns play Wydad Casablanca in Tshwane on Sunday with the winner bagging $4 million.

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Soweto Derby vs. 'African Derby'

Sports Brief recently reported on the fixture debate between fans of the Soweto clubs and Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Soweto Derby was scheduled for the same Saturday as Sundowns' African Football League final.

The continental competition yielded and Sundowns will host Wydad Casablanca on Sunday, November 12.