A-Z of the CAF Women’s Champions League

The fourth installment of the CAF Women’s Champions League continental finals will take place in Morocco from 9-23 November and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns seek to retain the title they have won in three of the last four years.

There will be seven other pretenders to the crown though as we run through the A-Z of the tournament.

A – Andile Dlamini: The Banyana Banyana international goalkeeper has twice won the Golden Glove at the continental finals when she helped Mamelodi Sundowns lift the trophy in 2021 and 2022. Sundowns did not concede a single goal on their way to lifting the trophies two trophies with 10 shutouts in all.

B – Evelyn Badu: The striker from Ghanian side Hasaacas Ladies was both the Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot winner in 2021 following her five goals scored.

C – Goals conceded: Wadi Degla (Egypt) have the record for most goals conceded in the tournament with 15 from only six games. The only other team in double figures is Mali’s AS Mande (10).

D – Debutans: There will be five clubs making their continental finals debut in 2024: Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (Ethiopia), Edo Queens (Nigeria), FC Masar (Egypt), Aigles de la Médina (Senegal) and University of the Western Cape (South Africa)

E – Ever-presents: Only AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns will have appeared in all four continental finals to date. No other club has more than two appearances.

F – Fatima Tagnaout: The AS FAR midfielder won the Player of the Tournament prize in 2022 as she helped her side to a trophy win on home soil.

G – Goals scored: Mamelodi Sundowns have netted the most goals in the tournament with 26 from their 15 games. Next highest is AS FAR with 23.

H – Hasaacas Ladies: The Ghanaian club are one of three teams to score 10 goals in a single continental finals tournament when they did so in 2021. Since then, AS FAR (2022) and Mamelodi Sundowns (2023) have matched their record.

I – Ibtissam Jraïdi: The AS FAR forward won the Golden Boot in 2022 as she helped her team to victory. Her six goals are the most scored in a single tournament and also make her the all-time leading scorer in the continental finals.

J – JKT Queens: The Tanzanians were one of five clubs to debut at the finals in 2023. The others were Ampem Darkoa (Ghana), Athlético d'Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Huracanes (Equatorial Guinea) and SC Casablanca (Morocco).

K – Khadija Er-Rmichi: The Morocco international goalkeeper won the Golden Glove award at the 2022 finals as she helped AS FAR to victory.

L – Most losses: AS FAR (Morocco) and Wadi Degla have each lost four games at the tournament and head the unwanted record of most losses at the finals. AS Far’s have come from 15 games and Wadi Degla’s from just six games.

M – Most appearances per country: Morocco and South Africa have each had five appearances by clubs in the continental finals. Four each for AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns, then one by SC Casablanca (Morocco) in 2023 and University of the Western Cape (South Africa) in 2024.

N – Nigeria: Nigeria have been represented at the finals on two occasions, by Bayelsa Queens in 2022 as they finished third and by Rivers Angels in 2011, who did not make it out the pool stages.

O – Oumou Kone: Kone from Malien side AS Mandé scored one of three hat-tricks to have been completed at the finals when she netted a treble against Ampem Darkoa in 2023. The others were by Sanaâ Mssoudy from AS FAR in 2021 and Ibtissam Jraïdi in the final in 2022.

P – Win per centage: Mamelodi Sundowns have the best win ration in the competition having been victorious in 80 per cent of their matches. That is 12 wins, two draws and a defeat in their 15 games.

Q – Queens: There have been four clubs with a royal name over the years – Bayelsa Queens (Nigeria), Vihiga Queens (Kenya), Simba Queens (Tanzania) and JKT Queens (Tanzania). We have also had Malabo Kings!

R – Boitumelo Rabale: The Lesotho international was Player of the Tournament in 2023 as she guided Mamelodi Sundowns to their second title win.

S – Sporting Club Casablanca: SC Casablanca made the final of the 2023 competition despite winning only one game! They got out of their group with only four points, then edged Ampem Darkoa from Ghana on penalties in the semifinals, before a final loss to Mamelodi Sundowns.

T – Refilwe Tholakele: The Botswana international was the leading scorer at the 2023 finals as she helped Mamelodi Sundowns to victory.

U – Undefeated: Mamelodi Sundowns (2021 & 2023) and AS FAR (2022) are the only clubs so far to have finished a campaign undefeated.

V – Vihiga Queens: The club from East Africa are the only Kenyan team so far to compete in the finals. They played in the inaugural year in 2021 but did not make it out the group stages.

W – Match wins: Mamelodi Sundowns hold the record for most matches won at the tournament -- 12 from their 15 games played. They have two draws and a single loss, the 2022 final against AS FAR.

X – X-factor: With goals sometimes at a premium, X-factor players with the ability to conjure a magic moment from nothing will be crucial in the 2024 finals.

Y – Youngsters: What young players will we see emerge as potential stars of the future this season?

Z – Zones: The field is made up of eight teams, one each from the six Confederation of African Football (CAF) zones, the current holders and a team from the host nation.