EFA Executive still to meet and decide on trip
AFCON finals on February 6 at Olembe Stadium
Mbabane – Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane has received an invite from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals billed for Sunday, February 6, 2022.
In an exclusive interview with Independent News, Simelane confirmed having received the invite to the AFCON finals in Cameroon. However, he said the local football mother body executive was still to meet and decide if the President will honor the invitation.
“The procedure is that we are invited by FIFA or CAF and we have already received the invite which invites the local football federation President. All expenses have been catered for by CAF,” said Simelane.
He said whether or not he honors the invitation will depend on the outcome of their discussions during the meeting. In the past, the former EFA President Adam ‘Bomber’ Mthethwa would attend AFCON final games accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Mngomezulu.
By the time of going to print, the tournament had reached its semi-finals stages where Burkina Faso is to play Senegal and the hosts, Cameroon are pitted against Egypt.
The tournament, originally scheduled to be played in June and July 2021, is being held in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6, 2022, with Sky Sports showing all 52 games live.
Twenty-four teams are taking part. The action kicked off with hosts Cameroon beating Burkina Faso in Yaounde, and will culminate in the final on February 6 at the same Olembe Stadium venue.
The CAF Confederation Cup, officially named Total Energies CAF Confederation Cup, is an annual club association football competition organized by the CAF since 2004. Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. It is the second-tier competition of African club football, ranking below the CAF Champions League. The winner of the tournament faces the winner of the CAF Champions League in the following season’s CAF Super Cup.
Wednesday February 2
Semi-final 1: Burkina Faso vs Senegal, 7pm (Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaounde)
Thursday February 3
Semi-final 2: Cameroon vs Egypt, 7pm (Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
AFCON 2021 third-place match
Sunday February 6
Semi-final 1 loser vs Semi-final 2 loser, 4pm (Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
AFCON 2021 final
Sunday February 6
Semi-final 1 winner vs Semi-final 2 winner, 7pm (Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
| Final position | Prize money |
| Winner | US$1.25 million |
| Runner-up | US$625,000 |
| Semi-finalists | US$450,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | US$350,000 |
| 3rd in group stage | US$275,000 |
| 4th in group stage | US$275,000 |
