THE Warriors are set for rich pickings at next January’s African Cup of Nations to be held in Gabon after CAF announced up to 166 percent hike in prize monies for the continent’s biggest football crown.

According to CAF, winners of the 2017 Total African Cup of Nations will pocket a cool $4million, a marked improvement from the previous $1,5million.

Zimbabwe will pocket $475 000 regardless of the position they finish in Group B which has Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia.

Quarterfinalists are now guaranteed $800 000 up from $600 000 while the losing semi finalists will walk away with $1.5 million, up from $750 000.

The prize for the tournament’s silver medalist has gone up by 100 percent to $2million from the previous $1million.

The changes also knocked on the CAF Champions league whose winners will now pocket $2,5million up from the previous $1,5million which was recently pocketed by Khama Billiat’s Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

But more encouragingly, CAF also made changes to its money spinning CAF Champions League group stages which will now be competed for by 16 teams in four groups of four instead of the previous set up which had two groups of four.

Clubs that reach the group stages will now be guaranteed $550 000 up from the previous share of $400 000.

With this extended format, Zimbabwean clubs will obviously fancy their chances of reaching the group stages.