Egypt's FA requests same format for Confederation Cup and Champions League
Karim Farouk, , Monday 20 Jul 2020
This plea comes amid reports that the CAF competitions committee issued a recommendation following their Monday meeting to revert to a two-leg ties for the Champions League semi-finals


The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Monday to apply the same format of the final stages to both the Champions League and Confederations Cup to ensure fair play.

"We ask the CAF to apply the same rules and format of the remaining semi-finals and final games to both the Champions League and Confederation Cup," an EFA statement read on Monday.

This plea comes amid reports that the CAF competitions committee issued a recommendation following their Monday meeting to revert to a two-leg ties for the Champions League semi-finals following disagreements between the members on the venue.

On 30 June, the CAF announced that the Champions League and Confederation Cup will resume in September in a final four format, while the semi-finals will be played in a single match.

Morocco has been announced as the host for the Confederation Cup final tournament while Cameroon withdrew from hosting the Champions League tournament due to the strict measures imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

"If CAF insists on playing the Confederation Cup semi-finals in a single-match tie then it should be played in a neutral venue so none of the parties would have an advantage," the statement added.

Egypt and Morocco have expressed their will to host the Champions League tournament which has created the disaccord.

Both countries have representatives that will go head-to-head in Africa's elite club competition as the Cairo giants Ahly and Zamalek will clash against Wydad and Raja in the semi-finals respectively. While in the Confederation Cup, Egyptian rising power Pyramids FC are hot favourite from their tie with Horoya Conakry of Guinea to reach the final and face the winner between Hassania Agadir and RS Berkane, both from Morocco.

"This request comes as Egypt is the only country that officially requested to host the semi-finals and final of the Champions League following the withdrawal of Cameroon. It should follow the CAF decision to attribute the hosting of the semi-finals and final of the Confederation Cup to Morocco who has two teams playing in the semi-finals," the EFA concluded.

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