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FIFA President (www.FIFA.com<\/a>)\u00a0watched Simba Sports Club play Al Ahly FC in Dar es Salaam; The new competition is set to transform African club football; Gianni Infantino laid the foundation stone for second stage of development at the Kigamboni Technical Centre.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The FIFA President has visited Tanzania where he attended the opening ceremony and inaugural match of the African League Football (AFL), the new competition which is set to transform club football on the continent. Gianni Infantino watched home side Simba Sports Club face Egyptian club Al Ahly FC in the company of the CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, and the President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Wallace Karia. The quarter-final first leg match ended 2-2.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI am pleased to be in Dar es Salaam for the launch of the new African Football League. I am also discussing football development with the Tanzania Football Federation President, Wallace Karia, who is welcoming us so well here, and other African Federations presidents,\u201d Mr Infantino said.<\/p>\n The AFL is the latest result of the fruitful partnership between CAF and FIFA, and its debut format will bring together eight of Africa\u2019s most famous and successful teams — increasing to 24 in 2024 — with the aim of highlighting the quality of the game on the continent.\u00a0<\/p>\n The other ties are: Tout Puissant Mazembe (Congo DR) v Esp\u00e9rance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), Enyimba Football Club (Nigeria) v Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) and Atl\u00e9tico Petr\u00f3leos de Luanda (Angola) v Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa).<\/p>\n \u201cI want to thank the CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, and the whole of African football for their initiatives in constantly developing football in Africa,\u201d said Mr Infantino, who took part in the unveiling of the trophy before the match. He added that the AFL would herald the start of a new era of increased spotlight, accelerated growth, and development for African football.<\/p>\n The FIFA President also laid the foundation stone for second stage of construction of the TFF\u2019s Kigamboni Technical Centre in Dar es Salaam which, like the Tanga Technical Centre on the north coast, is a FIFA Forward project. The FIFA Forward development programme (https:\/\/apo-opa.info\/3T9Q1s0<\/a>) is available to all 211 member associations to fund projects such as the building of pitches, technical centres and the organisation of competitions.<\/p>\n FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Ars\u00e8ne Wenger and Chairman of FIFA Referees Committee Pierluigi Collina were also part of the FIFA delegation.<\/p>\n Mr Wenger said the centre would play a key role in helping Tanzania identify and develop talented players. \u201cWe have four to five years in front of us and, if we do it well, I’m sure that we\u2019ll have good players everywhere in Tanzania,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr Infantino said he was delighted to lay the foundation stone and that the centre was \u201csure to be an excellent facility for helping to develop local football talent.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cMany congratulations to CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, and Tanzania Football Federation President, Wallace Karia, for the initiatives undertaken in giving opportunities to young girls and boys to live their football dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe development of our beautiful game is a symbol of hope and I am looking forward to continuing our good work together.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n