The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved a series of changes to the regulations governing its interclub competitions, including a new rule allowing players to represent more than one club during the same continental season.
The changes were approved by the CAF Executive Committee, chaired by CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe, and will affect how clubs manage their squads, player registrations and disciplinary matters in the organisation’s major club competitions.
Under the revised regulations, clubs competing in CAF interclub competitions will be able to register up to 40 players at any point during the season.
The new framework also allows clubs to make as many as four player replacements during the final registration period. However, there is a key restriction: any player being replaced must not have played in a CAF interclub match during that season.
Another significant change is the removal of the previous restriction preventing a player from representing more than one club in the same CAF interclub season.
That provision could have an impact on clubs during transfer windows, particularly when players move between teams while the CAF Champions League or CAF Confederation Cup is still being contested.
The regulatory changes are designed to give clubs greater flexibility in managing their squads throughout the continental campaign while establishing new procedures for dealing with disciplinary cases.
CAF has also changed the structure responsible for handling disciplinary matters.
Under the revised regulations, disciplinary cases arising from CAF interclub competitions will no longer be dealt with by the Interclub Committee. Instead, responsibility will now rest with the CAF Disciplinary Board.
The move creates a centralised system for disciplinary issues involving clubs and players participating in the competitions.
The changes come as African clubs compete in CAF’s two major men’s interclub tournaments, the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
The Champions League and Confederation Cup bring clubs from across the continent together in pursuit of continental honours, making squad registration and player eligibility important aspects of each club’s campaign.
The revised rules mean participating clubs will need to take the new registration provisions into account when planning their squads.
The ability to use a player for more than one club in the same season could be particularly relevant when players change clubs during an ongoing continental campaign. Previously, such movements could create complications for clubs seeking to register players for CAF competition.
The new 40-player limit also establishes a clear ceiling for the number of players a club can register at any given point during the season.
Clubs will also have the opportunity to make four changes during the final registration period, although they will only be able to replace players who have not featured in a CAF interclub match during the season.
That condition means clubs will have to consider carefully which players they register and use before deciding whether to make changes during the final registration window.
The disciplinary changes represent another important part of the new framework. Rather than having disciplinary matters handled by the Interclub Committee, all such cases will now come under the CAF Disciplinary Board.
The revised regulations therefore affect both sporting and administrative aspects of African club competitions.
For clubs, squad planning will now have to take account of the new rules on player movement, registration limits and replacements. At the same time, teams and players involved in CAF competitions will operate under the updated disciplinary structure.
The changes apply to CAF’s interclub competition framework and are expected to influence how clubs manage their squads throughout the season.
With the regulations approved, clubs participating in the Champions League and Confederation Cup will have to adapt their planning and registration procedures to meet the updated requirements.
The most notable changes give clubs greater scope to manage player movement while setting a maximum squad registration of 40 players and permitting up to four eligible replacements during the final registration period.
At the same time, CAF has placed responsibility for disciplinary cases with its Disciplinary Board, marking a change in how such matters will be administered.
Together, the measures represent a substantial update to the rules governing African club football and will shape player registration, squad management and disciplinary procedures in CAF’s premier continental competitions.
