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Chan adds to players' load

UNCERTAIN: Kaizer Chiefs striker Katlego Mphela is not on the squad list for the CAF Champions League Photo: Veli Nhlapo
UNCERTAIN: Kaizer Chiefs striker Katlego Mphela is not on the squad list for the CAF Champions League Photo: Veli Nhlapo

Premier Soccer League clubs will face further disruption because of international matches later in the year when the qualifiers for the next African Nations Championship (Chan) are to be hosted.

The Confederation of African Football has confirmed that the start of the preliminary matches to decide the 16 finalists for the tournament in Rwanda, which is being held this time next year, will be played in June and July - at a time when the South African players are on holiday before rejoining their clubs for pre-season preparations.

The draw for the CHAN qualifiers will be made in Cairo in March but the first round of qualifiers, in which South Africa are sure to participate, is on the weekend of June 19-21 and July 3-5.

This falls a week before most clubs will come back from their holidays and a week into pre-season training and will cause yet another fuss between the clubs and the South African Football Association.

It will also mean many players will have a shortened, or even no rest, after the end of this season, because there is also the Cosafa Championship planned for early June in South Africa.

CAF has decreed that it will force clubs to release players for CHAN duty even if the weekends on which they have scheduled the qualifiers do not fall in Fifa's international calendar.

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