Zimbabwean football giants Dynamos and cross town rivals Caps United, whose participation in CAF's multi-million dollar Super League seemed all set when they were invited to one of the initiative's formative meetings have been shut out from the project.
The US$100 million league, which will see winners pocketing US$11,5 million and annual million dollar seeds for each of CAF's 54 associations to develop football will now be contested among eight teams instead of the initial 24.
Caps United owner Farai Jere and former Dynamos chairperson Isaiah Mupfurutsa got a taste of royalty when they were invited to a consultative meeting on the matter by CAF President Patrice Motsepe in Douala, Cameroon last year.
They represented Zimbabwe at a table that had African football aristocrats from Al Ahly (Egypt), Enyimba (Nigeria), Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko (Ghana), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Despite the promising start, a FIFA ban which by extension influences CAF operations and move to reduce the number of participants, as is being reported, have all conspired against the Zimbabwean teams.
A decision by Zimbabwe's government to fire the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) board on charges of corruption, sexual abuse and maladministration of the game resulted in FIFA handing down an indefinite ban that has been in place since March last year.
TP Mazembe (DRC), Horoya (Guinea), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Simba SC (Tanzania), Esperance (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly are the ones set to feature in the premier football showpiece.
According to South Africa's iDiskiTimes CAF is likely to take a one group format with home and away fixtures for the league with winners representing Africa at FIFA's extended Club World Cup where Africa now has four slots.
Games are set to begin August running until May each season.
No communication has been shared by CAF on the fate of its Champions League, which has for decades been contested by champions of all 54 leagues on the continent.
Champions of the tournament were usually ones that represented Africa at the Club World Cup.