CAF Champions League: All You Need to Know

The official draw of the Group Stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2024/25 season has set up what promises to yet another exciting Group Stage phase of Africa’s premier club competition.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport.

Africa’s most successful club and current champions Al Ahly SC of Egypt , with 12 titles, headline one of toughest groups in the competition: Group C consisting of CR Belouizdad of Algeria, former champions Orlando Pirates, as well as Stade D’ Abidjan who are also making their first group stage appearance.

Interestingly, all six of CAF’s Zonal Unions will be represented in this season’s edition of the Group Stages, signifying the continued growth in African football across the continent.

GROUP BATTLES

Five-time champions TP Mazembe, headline Group A that sees them face off against the ever-improving Young Africans, a plucky Al Hilal as well as MC Alger of Algeria.

Group B sees 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who yearn an elusive second title, having to travel up North twice to face three-time champions Raja Casablanca as well as AS FAR – both from Morocco.

The group is completed by DR Congo outfit Maniema Union FC, who are enjoying a dream start to their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League debut with a group stage berth.

Group C is naturally headlined by the reigning champions Al Ahly SC, who are looking at further extending their dominance on the continent.

The last group of the competition sees last season’s runners-up ES Tunis having to face stiff competition from the ever-ambitious Pyramids FC as well as the two group stage debutants GD Segrada Esperanca and Djoliba AC of Mali.

The group stages will be played between November 2024 and January 2025.

SA FOCUS

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS FIXTURES:

Tuesday, November 26: home v Maniema Union (DR Congo)

Saturday, December 7: away v Royal Armed Forces (Morocco)

Sunday, December 15: home v Raja Casablanca (Morocco)

Friday, January 3 or Saturday January 4: away v Raja Casablanca

Friday, January 10 or Saturday January 11: away v Maniema Union

Friday, January 17 or Saturday January 18: home v Royal Armed Forces

ORLANDO PIRATES FIXTURES

Tuesday, November 26: away v Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria)

Saturday, December 7: home v Al Ahly (Egypt)

Saturday, December 14: away v Stade Abidjan (Ivory Coast)

Friday, January 3 or Saturday January 4: home v Stade Abidjan

Friday, January 10 or Saturday January 11: home v Chabab Belouizdad

Friday, January 17 or Saturday January 18: away v Al Ahly

GROUP STAGES FIXTURES DATES:

• Match Day 1: November 26-27, 2024
• ⁠Match Day 2: December 6-8, 2024
• ⁠Match Day 3: December 13-15, 2024
• ⁠Match Day 4: January 3-5, 2025
• ⁠Match Day 5: January 10-12, 2025
• ⁠Match Day 6: January 17-19, 2025

GROUP STAGE DRAW RESULTS:

GROUP A: TP Mazembe (RDC), Young Africans SC (TAN), Al Hilal (SUD) ,MC Alger (ALG)

GROUP B: Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Raja CA (MAR), AS FAR (MAR) Maniema Union (RDC)

GROUP C: Al Ahly SC (EGY), CR Belouizdad (ALG), Orlando Pirates (RSA) ,Stade D ‘Abidjan (CIV)

GROUP D: ES Tunis (TUN), Pyramids FC (EGY) ,GD Segrada Esperanca (ANG), Djoliba AC (MLI)

PRIZE MONEY

Winners of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League now take USD 4 000 000 – compared to the USD 2 500 000 they received in 2022.

• Winner: USD 4 000 000
• Runner-up: USD 2 000 000
• Semi-Finalists: USD 1 200 000
• Quarterfinalists: USD 900 000
• 3rd of Group: USD 700 000
• 4th of Group: USD 700 000

TOP 10 RECORD WINNERS

• Al Ahly FC: 12 (titles)
• TP Mazembe: 5
• Zamalek SC: 5
• Esperance Tunis: 4
• Wydad Casablanca: 3
• Raja Club Athletic: 3
• Canon Sportif de Yaoundé: 3
• Hafia FC: 3
• ES Sétif: 2
• Enyimba Aba: 2
• JS Kabylie: 2

ABOUT THE CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 

The CAF Champions League, officially known as the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons and formerly called the African Cup of Champions Clubs, is an annual football competition organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

It is contested by top-tier African clubs and determines the champion through a group stage followed by a double-legged knockout phase, culminating in a home-and-away final. It is widely regarded as the most prestigious club competition in African football.

Each season's winner earns a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup, a global tournament featuring champion clubs from all six continental confederations. Additionally, the winner faces the CAF Confederation Cup champion in the next season's CAF Super Cup.

Starting in 2024, the champion and the next four best-performing teams will also qualify for the new FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Clubs that finish as runners-up in their national leagues, without qualifying for the Champions League, are eligible to compete in the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup.

Egyptian clubs hold the record for the most titles (18), followed by Morocco with seven. 

The countries with the most winning clubs are Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Cameroon, each with three champion teams.

Overall, 26 clubs have won the competition, 12 of which have claimed the title multiple times.

Al Ahly are the most successful club in the tournament's history, having won it a record 12 times, including the most recent title.

They are the current African champions, defeating Espérance de Tunis 1-0 on aggregate in the 2024 final.