(MENAFN- Asdaf News) beIN MEDIA GROUP, the global sports and entertainment group (“beIN”), have today announced a new media rights agreement that will see beIN SPORTS, beIN's flagship sports network, broadcast the inaugural African Football League (“AFL”) pan-African club-competition across 24 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) this season.

The inaugural season of the AFL, which runs from 20 October to 11 November, will see eight teams from three different regions of the continent compete for the AFL trophy in a knockout format consisting of quarterfinals, semi-finals, and a final, with each tie played over two-legs, on a home and away basis.

The 11-time African club champions, Al Ahly SC (Egypt), kick off the competition today against hosts Simba SC (Tanzania) at 3pm GMT+3 (Doha local time). Other regional favourites include Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), and Wydad AC (Morocco), competing alongside the Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa), Atlético Petróleos de Luanda (Angola), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), and Enyimba FC (Nigeria).

MENA fans will also be treated with an action-packed weekend as Tunisia's Espérance take on the Democratic Republic of Congo champions TP Mazembe on Sunday at 8pm GMT+3, followed by Morocco's Wydad AC match against Nigeria's Enyimba FC at 11pm GMT+3.

beIN is delighted to broadcast this new and exciting competition showcasing the best of African football to fans across the Middle East and North Africa.

beIN SPORTS is also home to the best football in the world, showcasing leading European leagues – the English Premier League, UEFA club and national team competitions, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and LaLiga – as well as FIFA and AFC competitions, among many others.

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