E8.4M ‘CARROT’ AWAITS ‘BUFFS’

MBABANE – Army side, Young Buffaloes is only 180 minutes away from receiving at least E8.4 million from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The country’s lone CAF inter-club envoys would have to beat feared African top side, DR Congo’s AS Vita in the two legged second round of the Total CAF Champions League preliminary round to qualify for the Group stages and the loot.

victorious

Buffaloes, who would reach the group stages for the first time if they are victorious against AS Vita, will play the first leg at home on the weekend of December 22-23 with the second leg early next year away in Kinshasa, on the weekend of January 4 and 5, 2021.

According to the CAF Champions League rules and regulations, the teams that finish fourth and third in the group stages receive US$550 000 which is equivalent to E8 409 186 according to yesterday’s foreign exchange rate.

improved

The quarter finalists and semi-finals receive improved amounts. The money basically assists the teams in terms of travelling as they play the group stages games that are in a home and away format including the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the finals.

In 2017/ 18 season, Mbabane Swallows defied all odds and qualified for the CAF Champions’ League group stages where they earned about E6.6 million and pocketed about E3.4 million in the previous season for making it to the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Teams have to dig in their pockets where they are competing in the preliminary rounds as there is no participation fee. Buffaloes have already spent about E500 000 to honour the first and second leg of the games against Le Massager Ngozi.

eliminated

Buffaloes is playing in the CAF Champions League for the second time having been eliminated in the first preliminary round in 2011 by Zambia’s Zesco United.

The MTN Premier Legaue defending champions reached the second round of the preliminaries having eliminated Burundian side Le Massager Ngozi by playing a goalless draw here at home and settling for a 1-all draw in the away match on Sunday.

The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) stands to also financially benefit when Buffaloes reach the group stages as they get a share of five per cent.

sponsored

The champion’s league is sponsored to the tune of US$12.5 million, about E182 million and the winners will take home about E38 million with the runner’s up getting about E19 million. 

The semi-finalists and quarter-finalists will receive about E13million and E9.8 million respectively.

Buffaloes Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sandile Gwebu could not reply to some WhatsApp messages sent to him as he is with the team in Burundi.

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