There is no place for foreign-based players such as Stephen Appiah

With a view to developing the game in Africa, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has announced that a new competition will begin next year, called the African Championship of Nations.

Qualifiers will take place next year, and the finals will be in 2009.

It will involve national teams, but only locally-based players can take part.

So in the case of teams like Ghana and Nigeria, the vast majority of their current national squad would be counted out.

The idea is that home-based players will have an opportunity to showcase their talent at a major competition, and to elevate the status of Africa's domestic leagues.

But what sort of a tournament will the Championship of Nations be? Will it provide enough glamour and top-quality football?

Will it be able to attract sponsorship, and will cash-strapped national associations be able to afford sending their national team for qualifying matches?

Perhaps you think that it is just what is needed to develop African football?

This debate has now closed.

I think it is quite a nice idea. Firstly, it will help to motivate the home-based players who feel marginalised. Secondly, it gives those highly paid coaches good reason to stay in their host nations and work to earn the money they receive.
Thomas Bibum N, Belgium(Cam)

It makes no sense! If you take out the foreign-based players you are left with very little talent to wear the national colours. And I don't see of what benefit that will be.
Sekou Nkrumah, Ghana

It is a great idea and long overdue. It will help not just to develop football in Africa but will allow the local-league players to showcase their skills to the world.
Agbaragu, Ogaga Zebs, Nigeria

Good idea, it's the greatest thing to happen to home-based players in Africa. Whoever came up with the idea was touched by an angel. Local players who cannot play for their country because of overseas-based players, can now show the world what they can do. It will increase the standard of football in Africa and become more marketable, who knows they might even take the places of some overseas-based players in the national team. Great idea!
James Ibekwe, USA

Fantastic idea! New hungry fresh talent will be eager to play. It could be a player's ticket to the European leagues, and it could send a message to current internationals that playing for their country is earned and not a birthright. Bring on the exposure!!
Gideon Omagbemi, USA

This is wonderful, I've been waiting for a tournament like this for years. I recall in the '90 World Cup that the Cameroon squad performed so well because they had a good blend of home and overseas-based players. This really enhanced the spirit within the team.
Monono Forseh, Dallas GA, USA (Cameroon)

Sheer waste of time. Everyone knows that the organisation of African football is difficult, even at the topper-most level. Domestic football, far from the exception to this, can be worse.
Stanley Emeka, Aberdeen

The idea of using mainly foreign-based players for national teams is killing the game in Africa. Hungry home-based players, would get better results for the national sides.
tope Idowu, USA

I think that the CAF Champions League is already serving this purpose. It will be just a weaker duplication.
Jola, Nigeria

This tournament will be looked upon as a second-rate event because this will essentially be a 'B' team tournament for teams South of the Sahara. For teams in northern Africa, they will be able to pick most of the first team, not a situation that applies to the rest of Africa.
Jaiye Idowu, Nigeria