African Club Association (ACA) President Hersi Said has said record prize money and a pioneering solidarity fund for clubs across Africa is resulting in improved performances, and is proof that the investment is working.

Said praised CAF President Patrice Motsepe for confronting the financial realities that for years deterred clubs from fully committing to continental competitions.

The latest increases take the overall prize money and solidarity payments to African clubs to over $42 million per season — a 123.4% rise since Motsepe was elected CAF President. In 2021, CAF allocated just $18.8 million in total cash for clubs in prize money.

The solidarity fund, which directly supports clubs eliminated in the preliminary rounds, has been a game-changer.

CAF introduced solidarity payments last season at $50,000 per club, then doubled the amount to $100,000 this season, resulting in a record-breaking 130 clubs from across the continent participating in the qualifying rounds of CAF's interclub competitions. African Football

Said noted that travel costs across Africa make continental participation genuinely prohibitive for many clubs without strong sponsorship. The solidarity fund addresses that barrier directly, ensuring that clubs are not penalized financially simply for entering.

The CAF Champions League winner's prize has risen from $2.5 million to $6 million — a 140% increase — while the Confederation Cup champion's reward has climbed from $1.25 million to $4 million, a 220% rise.

Said stressed that the increases cascade through the competition — benefiting group stage clubs, quarter-finalists, and semi-finalists too, creating incentives at every level.

The ACA, launched in November 2023 and now recognized by both CAF and FIFA, has established offices in Rabat, Morocco, and counts over 300 clubs among its membership — including Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, Raja Casablanca, Young Africans, Zanaco, and Maniema Union.

Said described the organization as the collective voice of African clubs, modelled on the transformative role the European Club Association has played on that continent.

He also pointed to broader continental football growth, including the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship in East Africa as evidence of the momentum behind the sport across the continent.

For Said, the trajectory is clear: with the right financial backing, structural support, and collective organization, African club football is not just growing — it is becoming genuinely globally competitive.