REVERED Congolese club TP Mazembe have been invited to participate in this year's Vodacom Challenge, which is expected to revert to its original format of a four-club event.

Mazembe made history in 2010 when they became the first and only African side to reach the Fifa Club World Cup final.

Their ambitions of lifting the trophy were dashed when they lost the final to Italian side Inter Milan.

As reported in Sowetan last week, English Premiership side Newcastle United are also coming to take part in this tournament that is hosted by Premiership giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.

Other English sides who have participated in the tournament include Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Mazembe, who are on course for a third African Champions League title, lost 2-1 to Pirates in the 2004 semifinal.

Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung confirmed that the tournament will be played this year but added that there will be some changes to the format.

"Let us wait until the organisers announce the clubs that will participate and the format of the tournament.

"(But) the support we have been getting from Vodacom is highly appreciated by us and Orlando Pirates," he said.

Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza said: "When we started with this tournament back in 1998, the emphasis was on Africa and we are happy that this tournament is helping us to put African football on the international map."