Morocco win rights to host maiden Caf Women's Champions League

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation on Wednesday announced that the country will be the hosts for the inaugural Caf Women's Champions League. 

The Confederation of Africa Football had opened the hosting rights bid on Thursday, March 4, for the maiden edition of the continental women's club competition to be held in or before December.

In September, South Africa expressed an interest to stage the competition, while Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea were also expected to join the race after their botched Awcon 2022 bids.

According to Caf last month, the winning bid will be revealed by Caf's Executive Committee following the closure of the bidding deadline set for Wednesday, March 31.

The continent's football body also stated: "The Total Caf Women's Champions League 2021 competition will be organized during the period of October, November or December each year as per the resolution of the Caf Executive Committee.

"Seven teams will qualify for the final tournament through qualifiers organized by the zonal unions in addition to the champion club from the host country who gains automatic qualification."

Morocco, who were earlier named the host of the expanded 12-nation 2022 Africa Women's Cup of Nations in January, has now won the hosting rights for the first-ever women's club championship on the continent.

The development was confirmed in the speech of Moroccan FA president Faouzi Lakjaa, following its Ordinary General Assembly meeting held at its headquarters in Rabat on Wednesday.

"Morocco will continue to host international and continental matches, noting that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation team will represent Morocco in the first African Women's Champions League as the champion of the Moroccan League, which our country will host next November," Lakjaa told FRMF website.  

He continued by saying: "All those interested in Moroccan football to pay attention to women's football and smaller groups, and to open the way for young players to participate with their clubs."

This means Morocco will now be the first country to host the women's club tournament on the continent, just three months after emerging as the first Awcon host in the North African region.