African football's governing body Caf has announced major changes to the structure of the three continental club competitions.

From 2004, the number of teams from the top African nations allowed to enter the Champions League will increase to two.

Meanwhile the Caf Cup and Cup Winners Cup will be merged in to a new tournament, the Confederation Cup.

The changes mirror those made in 1999 by Uefa to the European club competitions, where up to four teams from one country now compete in the Champions League.

The changes ensured that the bigger teams make it through nearly every year, ensuring higher television audiences - and therefore revenue - and Caf are hopeful the move will generate similar cash.

Similarly, the top 12 countries in Africa - judged on the basis of performance over the previous five years - will have two representatives in the African Champions League.

And the teams knocked out of the Champions League prior to the quarter-final stage will be integrated into the Confederations Cup.

They will play in a direct elimination round after a drawing of lots, against the last eight in the Confederation Cup.

Following that round, the Confederation Cup will then mirror the Champions League by going into two groups of four, the winners of which will play in the final.