Former Esperance de Tunis winger Garba Lawal in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to drastically upgrade its marketing and media strategy, insisting that the CAF Champions League deserves to be rated among the world’s elite club tournaments.
Lawal’s remarks follow South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns clinching their second African crown after a hard-fought 1-1 draw away against Morocco’s AS FAR in Rabat, securing a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Despite the high-stakes drama on the pitch, the showpiece event suffered from a distinct lack of global media traction compared to the UEFA Champions League or South America’s Copa Libertadores—a disparity Lawal finds unacceptable.
Visibility gap
Speaking exclusively to Footy-Africa shortly after Sundowns hoisted the trophy, the former Nigerian international expressed frustration over the tournament’s underwhelming profile.
“Many people don’t even know these matches are happening,” Lawal lamented. “The media coverage remains incredibly poor compared to how UEFA competitions are broadcast. This is Africa’s premier club competition—our equivalent of the European Champions League—yet it is treated so lightly.”
”Unless you actively follow African football, you probably wouldn’t even know the final between AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns was taking place. CAF needs to do more. They must invest serious effort into promoting African football properly.”
Mamelodi Sundowns silence Rabat to capture CAF Champions League crown
Drama in Rabat
Sundowns carried a slender 1-0 advantage into the second leg courtesy of Aubrey Modiba’s strike in Pretoria. However, the hosts struck back five minutes before the interval when Mohamed Hrimat converted a penalty after Divine Lunga was penalised for a foul on Reda Slim.
The turning point arrived deep into first-half stoppage time. Teboho Mokoena unleashed a brilliant half-volley that rattled off the underside of the crossbar to restore the South Africans’ aggregate lead.
“The game was explosive and played at a fantastic tempo,” Lawal analyzed. “The turning point was definitely the second penalty opportunity that the Moroccans missed. Had they converted to go 2-1 up on the night, it could have changed everything. Instead, they were unlucky, conceded shortly after, and that settled it.”
You can tell they waited a long time for day like this. 💛#TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/PdKkslWRGc
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) May 27, 2026
West African slump
While South African and North African giants continue to dominate the continental landscape, West African clubs—particularly Nigerian representatives—have struggled to make a dent.
Sundowns’ brutal 7-1 aggregate demolition of former Nigerian champions Remo Stars in the first round underscored a widening chasm in quality and infrastructure.
”Sundowns are clearly operating at a high level, but talent-wise, our local players are on par with them,” Lawal insisted. “The issue is mindset and preparation. When I was at Esperance, preparing for continental football meant an entirely different tier of training and intensity.”
”Continental football is the ultimate shop window. If you perform there, it becomes much easier to market yourself abroad. Furthermore, we must address the financial reality. Clubs like Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance, Zamalek, and Al Ahly retain top talent because they pay their players exceptionally well.”
Back home with the people who dreamed of this too. 💛🏆#TotalEnergiesCAFCL | 📸@Masandawana pic.twitter.com/KXjIPAOzMr
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) May 26, 2026
Blueprint for Nigerian recovery
With Enugu Rangers and Rivers United set to represent the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on the continent next season, Lawal warned that Nigerian clubs can no longer afford naïve recruitment strategies.
”With proper funding, our league can attract top continental talent again, just like the days when Ghanaian stars flooded the Nigerian league,” Lawal noted. “But our current crop of players must understand that the continent is a completely different ball game. Winning the domestic league is just the baseline.
”Look at Enugu Rangers—their recruitment for next season has to be massive. It makes no sense to win the league, play one round on the continent, and get knocked out. That is entirely pointless. The moment you secure a continental ticket, your mentality, philosophy, and methodology must completely shift. You are no longer just playing for a club; you are representing the nation.”
