‘Introduce women’s Champions League to improve women football in Africa’

Christian Chukwu, a former Green Eagles captain and former Super Eagles coach, on Monday urged the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to introduce a Champions League for the continent’s women footballers.

Chukwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the league was imperative to improving women football in Africa, especially at the club side level.

He said such a development would encourage and facilitate the establishment of competitive and virile premier leagues in African countries.

“If CAF introduces a club championship cup competition for women, it will be very nice for women football development in Africa.

“The only challenge would be financing, because I don’t see government sponsoring it since they have found it difficult to sponsor the men’s premier league,” Chukwu said.

The former Super Eagles coach however urged multi-national companies to be ready to sponsor the league in order to make it successful.

NAN reports that CAF has a Champions League for male club sides, and it is an annual continental club football competition for the top club sides from Africa’s football leagues.

Winners of premier league competitions in member-countries qualify to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the equivalent of the UEFA Champions League.

While congratulating the Super Falcons for their ninth African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) title, Chukwu said the victory was an advantage to Nigerian football.

NAN reports that the Super Falcons defeated the Banyana Banyana of South Africa 4-3 on penalty kicks after 120 minutes of play to win the 11th edition of the competition.