by Agnes Amondi

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) revealed Morocco will host the first edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League.

This announcement was made by the President of FRMF Faouzi Lakjaa, during a meeting by the Administrative Office of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation held on Wednesday in Rabat, Morocco.

“Morocco will continue to host international and continental matches, noting that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation team will represent Morocco in the first African Women’s Champions League as champion of the Moroccan League, which our country will host next November.” Part of Lakjaa’s speech read.

Already, the North African nation is scheduled to host the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations and the President issued a rallying call to the efforts made by his administration in uplifting women’s football

“FRMF Chief called on all those interested in Moroccan football to pay attention to women’s football and smaller groups, and to open the way more for young players to participate with their clubs.” The statement went on.

South Africa had expressed interest in hosting the inaugural continental event but doubts about government support in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, seemed to have put those plans at bay.

The bidding process was officially made public on March 4 and ran till March 31. CAF also announced that the tournament would be organised in October, November or December with seven teams expected to qualify. Hosting nation will get an automatic qualification slot to take the total number of particiapting clubs to eight.

“Seven teams will qualify for the final tournament through qualifiers organized by the zonal unions in addition to the champion club from the host country who gains automatic qualification,” statement by CAF read