CAF Champions League
CAF LEAGUE TUSSLE: NEW CAS HOPE OPENS FOR MOROCCO’S WYDAD
Moroccan news outlet, Morocco World News has reported that the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), which had previously ruled against Wydad in the seemingly unending EST-Wydad scandal, is considering a new verdict that could back up Wydad’s claims.
The reports speak of “new evidence” that could swing yet another CAS “final verdict” in favour of the Moroccan club.
Wydad’s board was serious when they suggested last month that it would take the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Tunisia’s EST exceptionally solid evidence to make them give up on their struggle to be announced as the “deserving winners” of the 2018-2019 African Champions League.
According to emerging reports, the unearthing of the new body of evidence is giving Wydad hope, weeks after both the “relevant bodies” of the CAF and the CAS ruled that the Moroccan club’s championships claims were untenable because its players refused to resume the match when they were losing 1-0.
The saga began when Tunisia’s EST hosted Wydad in late May for the second leg of the African Champions League final. The Tunisian club was leading by 1-0 when Wydad’s El Karti equalized at the beginning of the second half.
But the referee initially–and wrongly–ruled out the goal for offside. Wydad players protested, asking that the referee use VAR to review the equalizing action.
There followed minutes of hot debates, only for the referee to stop the match more than 30 minutes before the normal timing.
CAF went on to declare EST as Champions, only to change its mind on the following day when “new evidence” suggested that the game had been mired in multiple irregularities, among which a late-minute dysfunctional VAR.
EST’s claims were especially hit by accusations of influence-peddling and a recurrence of deliberate rigging of the VAR system ahead of important games.
While CAF had ruled for a rematch on a “neutral ground,” both clubs felt they deserved to win, with each of them seizing CAS for an independent, final verdict.
That phase of off-the-field legal battles was won by EST. But Wydad vehemently disagreed; until the emergence of new evidence recently, this sounded like the petulance of a bad loser. But the “new evidence” suggest the Moroccan club could be right after all.
Among the new pile of evidence, according to reports, is damning footage indicating that Ahmad, the CAF president, was intimidated and “threatened” by the president of EST minutes before CAF’s first decision to hand the Tunisian the trophy.
Another complaint from Wydad is the “absence of a security mechanism” at the Rades stadium for both Wydadi players and supporters.
Most important in Wydad’s complaint, however, is the VAR argument. The Moroccan club considers that it is unfair that EST took advantage of VAR during the first leg in Rabat and later denied its Moroccan visitors the same opportunity.
In the equally controversial first leg in Rabat, the Tunisian club was only able to sustain the 1-1 draw because, on two occasions–first a goal and then a penalty, both wrongly dismissed–the Egyptian referee of the first leg used VAR to make controversial calls in favour of EST.
Not only was the VAR not functional during the second leg, Wydad has pointed out, but it was only later that both teams were reportedly told that the VAR system had “been deactivated” for the match.
While CAS has “in principle” agreed to review the new evidence and make its final verdict accordingly, it now remains to be seen how CAF will accommodate whatever may come out of another CAS ruling, especially if the prospective final verdict annuls the previous final verdict.
The African body, which is currently undergoing a series of reforms, has already been accused of inconsistency and self-ridicule after taking contradictory stances on the EST-Wydad saga. In the event of a CAS verdict favoring Wydad, the complex circumstances of the scandal suggest the beginning of another long saga of off-the-field arm wrestle between the two clubs.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will conduct the quarter-final draws for the 2025/26 editions of its two flagship interclub competitions — the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup — on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo.
The CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final draw is scheduled to begin at 13:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the CAF Champions League quarter-final draw at 14:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT).
The ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube platform, CAF TV, allowing fans across the continent and beyond to follow proceedings in real time.
Road to the Finals Takes Shape
The draws will determine not only the quarter-final pairings but also the pathway to the finals in both competitions, effectively mapping out the remaining knockout journey for Africa’s elite clubs.
With the group stages concluded, the quarter-finals mark the beginning of direct elimination football — a phase traditionally defined by tactical discipline, squad depth and mental resilience. Clubs will be keenly watching the draw to gauge potential heavyweight clashes or favourable routes to the semi-finals.
In the Champions League, former title holders and emerging contenders alike will be hoping to avoid early confrontations against continental heavyweights. Similarly, in the Confederation Cup, where competitive balance has grown in recent seasons, the draw could produce intriguing North-South or West-East showdowns.
Strategic Importance for Clubs
Beyond sporting prestige, progression to the latter stages of CAF competitions carries significant financial incentives, enhanced continental ranking points and increased global visibility. With African club football enjoying expanded broadcast reach and commercial partnerships, success in these tournaments has become both a sporting and economic objective.
Hosting the draws at the Egyptian FA headquarters in Cairo reinforces the city’s status as a nerve centre of African football administration, as clubs await clarity on their next assignments in what promises to be a decisive knockout phase of the 2025/26 campaign.
All eyes will now turn to Cairo as Africa’s road to continental glory becomes clearer.
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Moroccan side RS Berkane delivered a commanding 3–0 victory over Rivers United FC to book their place in the knockout stages of the competition.
Berkane imposed themselves early and broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Youssef Mehri fired into the bottom corner following a swift attacking move.
The hosts doubled their lead seven minutes later as Paul Valère Bassène finished clinically after being played through by Mounir Chouiar, leaving Rivers United with a mountain to climb before halftime.
The contest was effectively settled eight minutes into the second half. Bassène grabbed his second of the night in the 53rd minute, converting from close range after a corner to put the result beyond doubt.
Berkane maintained control for the remainder of the match, limiting Rivers United to speculative efforts and half-chances before comfortably seeing out the encounter.
With the results, Pyramids FC finish top of Group A, while RS Berkane join them in the knockout phase as runners-up, bringing the group stage to a decisive conclusion.
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Reigning CAF Champions League holders Pyramids FC signed off their group-stage campaign in style with a 3–1 victory over Power Dynamos FC on Matchday 6 to secure top spot in Group A.
The Egyptian side made a bright start and went ahead in the 16th minute when Mostafa Ziko rose highest to head home from a corner, underlining their early dominance.
Power Dynamos responded almost immediately. Frederick Mulambia restored parity a minute later, finishing from close range after a well-worked cross to briefly unsettle the hosts.
However, Pyramids regained control midway through the first half. In the 33rd minute, Youssef Obama reacted quickest inside the penalty area to restore the lead, sending the defending champions into the break 2–1 ahead.
The decisive moment came in the 59th minute when Ewerton unleashed a superb right-footed strike from outside the box that nestled into the bottom corner, extending the advantage to 3–1.
Despite late substitutions and sporadic pressure from the visitors, Pyramids managed proceedings comfortably to claim all three points and finish the group stage at the summit.
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