CAF Confederation Cup
CONTINENTAL DEBUTANTS, PYRAMIDS PLAN TO UPSET RANGERS AT HOME
After a dream start to their maiden continental campaign with the highlight being a place at the lucrative group stage, Egyptian debutants Pyramids will kick off their group stage campaign away to Nigeria’s Rangers in Enugu.
Last year’s revamp saw Pyramids, founded in 2008 under the name “Al Assiouty Sports” metamorphosing from Egyptian Premier League minnows to big spenders.
Their first season under the new name “Pyramids FC” ended in a third place finish in the Egyptian top flight, that earned them a place in this season’s Total CAF Confederation Cup.
With the help of experienced players, led by former Al Ahly playmaker Abdullah Elsaid, Ghanaian hitman John Antwi and Burkinabe Eric Traore, Pyramids entered their first ever continental adventure by recruiting ex- Uganda coach Sebastien Desabre to guide them banking on his knowledge of the African game.
Having spent nearly a decade in African football where he guided the likes of ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire), Coton Sport (Cameroon), Esperance (Tunisia), Recreativo do Libolo (Angola), JS Saoura (Algeria), Wydad (Morocco), Ismaily (Egypt), besides the national teams of Mauritania and Uganda, Desabre joined Pyramids a few days after he guided The Cranes to a Round of 16 berth at the last Africa Cup of Nations; the first in over four decades for the Ugandans.
The Frenchman has guided the debutants to overcome the hurdles at Congo’s Etoile du Congo, Algeria’s CR Belouizdad and Tanzanian giants Young Africans to reach the mini league stage, with an impressive record of five wins and a draw in six matches, including three away victories.
And they are inspired by their impressive away record as they visit the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu this Sunday, as Group A of the mini league stage kicks off, with fellow Egyptian outfit Al Masry and fellow debutants Nouadhibou of Mauritania completing the group.
Rangers enjoyed a preliminary round bye, before defeating Gabon’s AS Pelican and Togo’s ASC Kara on their way to the mini league stage, where they are looking to do better than last season when they failed to pass to the quarterfinals.
Having won their previous two home games, Rangers will hope this form carries on to start the group stage on a positive note after appointing former Nigeria coach Salisu Yusuf days ahead of the clash.
Yusuf, who guided Nigeria to a runner-up spot at the Total African Nations Championship in Morocco in 2018 replaces Benedict Ugwu, who was shown the exit after a 2-0 loss to newly promoted Akwa Starlets in the Nigerian top flight at the weekend.
Nouadhibou battles Masry in the other Group A match in Nouakchott, also on Sunday.
Fixtures
Group A
Sunday
- Nouakchott Nouadhibou (Mauritania) vs Al Masry (Egypt)
- Enugu Rangers (Nigeria) vs Pyramids (Egypt)
Group B
Sunday
- Johannesburg Bidvest (South Africa) vs Horoya (Guinea)
- Cairo El Nasr (Libya) vs Djoliba (Mali)
Group C
Sunday
- Berkane RS Berkane (Morocco) vs ESAE (Benin)
- Kinshasa Motema Pembe (DR Congo) vs Zanaco (Zambia)
Group D
Sunday
- Abidjan San Pedro (Cote d’Ivoire) vs Paradou (Algeria)
- Agadir HUSA (Morocco) vs Enyimba (Nigeria)
A high-stakes Moroccan derby between Olympique de Safi and Wydad Casablanca will headline the quarter-final stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, following Tuesday’s draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), mapped out the path to the final for the eight remaining contenders, setting up intriguing North African and Central African showdowns.
All-Moroccan Clash Guarantees Semi-Final Spot
Olympique de Safi will host Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of their tie, ensuring that Morocco will have at least one representative in the semi-finals. The clash pits two sides familiar with each other domestically, adding extra intensity to what is already a decisive knockout encounter.
Egyptian and Algerian Heavyweights in Action
Egyptian giants Zamalek SC will begin their campaign away to Congo’s AS Otoho, a tie that sees the five-time African champions seeking another continental crown.
Meanwhile, Al Masry SC will host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the first leg, in what promises to be a tightly contested North Africa battle.
In another compelling fixture, AS Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo will take on Algeria’s USM Alger, as the Congolese side looks to capitalise on home advantage in the opening leg.
Quarter-Final Fixtures
- QF1: Al Masry (Egypt) vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
- QF2: Olympique de Safi (Morocco) vs Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
- QF3: AS Otoho (Congo) vs Zamalek SC (Egypt)
- QF4: AS Maniema Union (DR Congo) vs USM Alger (Algeria)
The quarter-final first legs are scheduled for 15 March, with return fixtures set for 22 March.
Semi-Final Pathway Confirmed
The draw also determined the semi-final bracket:
- SF1: Winner of AS Maniema Union vs USM Alger will host the first leg against the winner of Olympique de Safi vs Wydad Casablanca.
- SF2: Winner of Al Masry vs CR Belouizdad will host the first leg against the winner of AS Otoho vs Zamalek SC.
The semi-finals will be played on 12 April (first leg) and 19 April (second leg).
The team advancing from the semi-finals will host the first leg of the final on 9 May, with the decisive second leg scheduled for 16 May.
With regional rivalries, heavyweight pedigrees, and emerging contenders all in the mix, the knockout stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup promises high drama as clubs across North and Central Africa vie for continental glory.
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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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CAF Confederation Cup
Zamalek, Kaizer Chiefs Drawn Together as CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage Unveiled
The draw for the group phase of this season’s African Confederation Cup conducted in Johannesburg on Monday:
Group A: USM Alger (Algeria), Djoliba (Mali), Olympique Safi (Morocco), San Pedro (Ivory Coast)
Group B: Azam (Tanzania), Maniema Union (DR Congo), Nairobi United (Kenya), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
Group C: Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria), AS Otoho (Congo) Singida Black Stars (Tanzania), Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Group D: Al Masry (Egypt), Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa), Zamalek (Egypt), Zesco United (Zambia)
The top two finishers in each of the four groups advance to the quarter-finals in March.
The group phase starts on Sunday November 23 and will continue through to mid-February.
-Reuters
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