The draw for the group stage of the CAF Champions League competition for the season (2024-2025), which was drawn today at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football in the Egyptian capital, resulted in balanced confrontations for the Arab teams.
The draw placed the Egyptian Al-Ahly team, the defending champion in the past two seasons, in the third group, which also includes Algeria’s CS Belouizdad, South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, and Ivorian Stadium Abidjan.
Al Hilal of Sudan came in the first group, along with Mouloudia of Algeria, TP Mazembe of the Congo, and Young Africans of Tanzania, while Raja Casablanca and the Royal Army of Morocco came in the second group with Sun Downs of South Africa, and Manyama Union of the Congo.
As for Tunisian Esperance, runner-up in the last edition and winner of the title four times, it finished in the fourth group with Pyramids of Egypt, Sagrada of Angola, and Djoliba of Mali.
The first round matches of the Champions League group stage will be held on the 26th and 27th of next November, with the second round being held on the 6th and 7th of next December. The competitions of this round are played in a league system, where each team will play (6) matches, with three matches at home and the same away.
The first and second in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, which will be held in a round-trip elimination system until the final match.
Regarding the African Confederation Cup (Confederation), the draw for the group stage, which was also drawn today, resulted in Zamalek of Egypt, the defending champion, falling into the fourth group with Al-Masry of Port Said, Enyimba of Nigeria, and Black Bulls of Mozambique.
The first group included Tunisian club CS Sfaxien, Algeria’s CS Constantine, Tanzania’s Simba, and Angola’s Bravos, while Morocco’s RS Berkane, Stade de Mali, South Africa’s Stellenbosch, and Angola’s Luanda Sul were in the second group.
The draw also placed Algeria’s Union in the third group, along with Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas, Senegal’s Graf, and Botswana’s Oraba United.
The group stage competitions of the tournament will be held on November 28, and will continue until January 19, 2025, with the second round competitions being held on December 8th, and the final round on May 25 of the same year.
The winner and runner-up of each group in the two tournaments will qualify for the quarter-finals, and the two tournaments will continue with an elimination system until the final match.