CAF Champions League
Moroccan derby headlines CAF Champions League Group stage kick off
The CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup remain the pinnacle of club football on the African continent and a chance for players and coaches to write their names into the history books by lifting the coveted trophies.
The Group Stage of the CAF Champions League starts for the 16 remaining teams with match day 1 on 26 November and includes some fascinating ties, not least a Moroccan Derby between Raja Casablanca and FAR Rabat in Group B.
Many of the most memorable moments in African football have come from the two elite competitions and another great chapter in the story of the game on the continent is set to be written this season.
Maniema Union from the Democratic Republic of Congo make their debut at this stage of the competition and with a tough away trip to Pretoria to face Mamelodi Sundowns in the other match in the pool.
Defending champions, Egyptian giants Al Ahly open their Group C campaign with a home clash against Stade d’Abidjan of Cote d’Ivoire, while Soweto side Orlando Pirates, playing in the pool stages for the first time since the 2018/19 season, are in Algeria at CR Belouizdad.
It will be a two-month sprint for the top two places in each of the four groups to earn a berth in the quarter-finals, with the pool stage to conclude with match day 6 on 17-19 January, 2025.
Record 12-time winners Al Ahly have lifted the CAF Champions League trophy in four of the previous five years and will be among the favourites again with their experience through the knockout rounds.
The group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup starts on 27 November and again there are some top ties to look forward to.
Holders Zamalek welcome debutants Black Bulls from Mozambique in a tough introduction for the latter, while there is also a North African showdown between CS Sfaxien from Tunisia and Algeria’s CS Constantine.
Morocco’s RS Berkane, the runners-up in 2023/24, start their pool stage campaign against another club making their debut at this stage, Angola’s CD da Lunda Sul
The quarter-finals in this season’s interclub competitions are scheduled for 28-30 March (first leg) and 4-6 April (second leg), while the semi-finals will be played 18-20 April (first leg) and 25-27 April (second leg).
View the full CAF Champions League Group Stage fixture list here.
View the full CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage fixture list here.
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE MATCH DAYS
- Match day 1: 26 November, 2024
- Match day 2: 6-8 December, 2024
- Match day 3: 13-15 December, 2024
- Match day 4: 3-5 January, 2025
- Match day 5: 10-12 January, 2025
- Match day 6: 17-19 January, 2025
CAF CONFEDERATION CUP GROUP STAGE MATCH DAYS
- Match day 1: 27 November, 2024
- Match day 2: 8 December, 2024
- Match day 3: 15 December, 2024
- Match day 4: 5 January, 2025
- Match day 5: 12 January, 2025
- Match day 6: 19 January, 2025
CAF Confederation Cup
Africa’s Elite Clubs Await Fate as CAF Stages Quarter-final Draws

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 Champions League
How RS Berkane Cruised Past Rivers United to Seal Knockout Berth

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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CAF Champions League
Pyramids Finish Top of Group A with Convincing Win Over Power Dynamos

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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