Rulani Mokwena will be taking on his old club Mamelodi Sundowns after his Mouloudia Alger were paired with the South African champions in a tough group in the African Champions League.

Monday’s draw at the SuperSport studios in Johannesburg delivered a delicious pairing with Sundowns also up against familiar foes Al Hilal of Sudan plus the Congolese conquerors of Orlando Pirates.

St Eloi Lupopo from Lubumbashi, who eliminated Pirates in the second round on post-match penalties just over a week ago, will return to South Africa to face Sundowns in Group C.

Lupopo are competing in the group phase for the first time after their shock defeat of the Buccaneers but Al Hilal will be a known adversary as they have been paired in the same group with Sundowns for the fourth time in the last six editions.

Al Hilal will not be able to host their home games in war-torn Sudan but have moved to Rwanda where they are being allowed to compete in the local league this season.

But it will be the clash with Mokwena, who took over at MC Alger in August, that will be the most intriguing.

Mokwena was unceremoniously sacked by Sundowns despite winning the championship in 2024 and almost finishing the league season unbeaten.

Champions League holders Pyramids were drawn in Group A alongside Renaissance Berkane of Morocco, who won the Confederation Cup last season. Pyramids beat Berkane 1-0 in the African Super Cup in Egypt last month.

Recordholders Al Ahly were paired with JS Kabylie of Algeria and Royal Armed Forces from Morocco, plus Young Africans of Tanzania.

The other Dar-es-Salaam club, Simba, who have former Sundowns players Rushine de Reuck and Neo Meame in their squad, are in Group D with top seeds Esperance of Tunisia.

The top two finishers in each of the four groups advance to the quarterfinals in March.

The group phase starts on the weekend of November 21-22 and will continue through to mid-February.

The draw:

Group A: Power Dynamos (Zambia), Pyramids (Egypt), Renaissance Berkane (Morocco), Rivers United (Nigeria)

Group B: Al Ahly (Egypt), JS Kabylie (Algeria), Royal Armed Forces (Morocco), Young Africans (Tanzania)

Group C: Al Hilal (Sudan), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Mouloudia Alger (Algeria), St Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo)

Group D: Esperance (Tunisia), Petro Atletico (Angola), Simba (Tanzania), Stade Malien (Mali)

South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns will again be among the top seeds for the CAF Champions’ League group-stage draw on Monday, joined by Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Tunisia’s Esperance, and surprising debutants Renaissance Berkane of Morocco.

The draw, set to take place at a SuperSport studio in Johannesburg, comes as South Africa enjoys strong continental representation, with Stellenbosch and Kaizer Chiefs also in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Seedings for the Champions League are based on results in both the premier competition and the second-tier Confederation Cup over the past five seasons.

While Berkane have never featured in the Champions League before, their consistent success in the Confederation Cup; reaching three finals and winning two; earned them enough ranking points to secure a Pot 1 spot alongside the continental heavyweights. The “Orange Boys,” from Morocco’s northeast citrus-growing region, accumulated 52 points to claim the final top seed place.

Defending champions Pyramids FC of Egypt headline the second-seed group after last season’s dramatic 3–2 aggregate triumph over Sundowns in the final.

Three other former African champions; Mouloudia Alger, JS Kabylie (both Algeria) and FAR Rabat (Morocco); also feature in the group-stage line-up. Former winners Orlando Pirates, ASEC Mimosas, and Stade Abidjan failed to progress beyond the qualifying phase.

This season also welcomes several debutants at the group stage, including Saint-Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo), Power Dynamos (Zambia), Rivers United (Nigeria), and Stade Malien (Mali).

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

POT 1: Al Ahly (EGY), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Esperance (Tunisia), Renaissance Berkane (MAR)

POT 2: Simba, Young Africans (both TAN), Pyramids (EGY, holders), Al Hilal (SUD)

POT 3: Petro Luanda (ANG), FAR Rabat (MAR), Mouloudia Alger (ALG), Rivers Utd (NGR)

POT 4: JS Kabylie (ALG), Stade Malien (MLI), Saint-Eloi Lupopo (COD), Power Dynamos (ZAM)

CAF CONFEDERATION CUP

POT 1: Zamalek (EGY), Wydad Casablanca (MAR), Chabab Belouizdad, USM Alger (both ALG)

POT 2: Al Masry (EGY), Stellenbosch (RSA), Djoliba (MLI), Maniema Union (COD)

POT 3: Kaizer Chiefs (RSA), Otoho (CGO)

POT 4: AZAM, Singida Black Stars (both TAN), ZESCO Utd (ZAM), San Pedro (CIV), Olympique Safi (MAR), Nairobi Utd (KEN)

CAF Champions League title-holders Pyramids of Egypt defeated Insurance of Ethiopia 2-0 on Thursday to secure a place in the group stage.

Mostafa Ziko headed the Cairo club in front on 11 minutes and a Birikit Kikaleb own goal in the first minute of added time sealed success.

Ziko did have the ball in the net again soon after putting Pyramids ahead, but the goal was ruled offside. TV replays appeared to show the scorer being onside when the ball was passed to him.

Pyramids, who lifted the premier African club trophy last season at only the second attempt, won the final round qualifier 3-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 first-leg draw last Sunday.

The home ground of Champions League debutants Insurance in Addis Ababa did not meet CAF approval so the Ethiopians chose to play both legs in Cairo, rather than use a neutral venue for the first match.

Victory for Pyramids raised to 15 the number of clubs who have qualified for the group draw, scheduled for Johannesburg on Monday.

Renaissance Berkane of Morocco or Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya will complete the line after they meet on Saturday. The first leg in the Libyan capital was a 1-1 draw.

Despite being champions, Pyramids will be second rather than top seeds as the placings are decided by results over the past five seasons.

Egypt will have two representatives as record 12-time Champions League winners Al Ahly qualified last weekend with a 2-0 aggregate victory over Aigle Noir of Burundi.

African Player of the Year award contender Mahmoud Mayele scored for CAF Champions League title-holders Pyramids of Egypt in a 1-1 qualifying draw against Insurance of Ethiopia on Sunday.

His goal after 11 minutes was cancelled by Biruk Mulugeta on 83 minutes in the first leg of a final round qualifier in Cairo.

Insurance exceeded expectations by drawing as Pyramids have been impressive in international competitions lately, winning the CAF Super Cup and the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup.

The Ethiopians also ceded home advantage in the first leg as their ground in Addis Ababa did not meet CAF approval.

Pyramids will host the return match at the same stadium on Thursday with a place in the November 3 group draw in Johannesburg on the line.

Mayele scored nine goals last season as Pyramids won the premier African club competition in only their second appearance, beating Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa 3-2 on aggregate in the final.

Congolese Mayele and fellow forward Oussama Lamlioui from Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane are the two Africa-based contenders among 10 stars shortlisted for the African award.

Berkane, debuting in the Champions League after winning the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup a record-equalling three times, drew 1-1 away to Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya in another first leg.

Senegalese Paul Bassene netted for Berkane on 69 minutes and Angolan Agostinho Paciencia, popularly known as Mabululu, equalised three minutes later.

Pyramids and Berkane were unable to play their first legs last weekend as they met for the Super Cup, with a Mayele goal dividing the clubs.

Former champions Sundowns and Esperance of Tunisia won second legs at home to complete comfortable passages to the group phase.

Sundowns beat Remo Stars of Nigeria 2-0 in Pretoria for a 7-1 aggregate victory while Esperance overcame Rahimo of Burkina Faso 3-0 in Rades to qualify 4-0 overall.

Another former title-holder, Mouloudia Alger of Algeria, were surprisingly held 0-0 at home by African newcomers Colombe of Cameroon, but advanced on the away goal rule after a 1-1 aggregate tie.

South African club Orlando Pirates on Saturday became the first high-profile casualty of the 2025-26 CAF Champions League after losing on penalties to Saint-Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

An Oswin Appollis goal deep in added time gave Pirates a 3-0 second-leg victory in the final round qualifier in Soweto, cancelling the three-goal advantage Lupopo built last weekend.

With the teams tied at 3-3 on aggregate, a shootout followed and the Congolese converted five of six spot kicks to win 5-4 and secure a place in the November 3 group draw in Johannesburg.

Buccaneers Bow Out of Champions League

💻Full Details: https://t.co/fdegQKnjMk

⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/Agxz1vy9Q9

— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) October 25, 2025

After each club converted four of five penalties, the shootout went to sudden death. Berdy Matukala netted for Lupopo, then Yanela Mbuthuma struck his kick wide.

Trying to become the first South African club to overcome a three-goal deficit in a CAF tie, Pirates led 1-0 at halftime through a Masindi Nemtajela goal.

Tshepang Moremi of Pirates and Cristopher Sumbu of Lupopo were red-carded just before the break, reducing both teams to 10 men.

Substitute Mbuthuma doubled Pirates' second-leg lead on 68 minutes and livewire South African international Appollis struck five minutes into added time.

The dramatic victory took Lupopo, from Lubumbashi, into the group stage for the first time after four failed attempts.

Success also made the Congolese club at least $700 000 richer while Pirates exited with a $100 000 appearance fee.

Rivers United ensured a Nigerian presence in the 16-club group phase, which kicks off on 21 November, by beating Mozambican visitors Black Bulls 3-1 in Uyo.

Timothy Zachariah claimed the crucial third goal for Rivers on 76 minutes, giving his team a 3-2 overall victory.

Record 12-time African champions Al Ahly from Egypt edged Burundian visitors Aigle Noir 1-0 in Cairo and 2-0 on aggregate after playing 75 minutes of the second leg with 10 men.

Slovenian forward Nejc Gradisar was sent off after 15 minutes of a match won by an Omar Kamal goal just before the hour mark.

Dickson Job and Ivorian Pacome Zouzoua scored in the first half to give Young Africans of Tanzania a 2-0 home win over Silver Strikers of Malawi.

The Dar es Salaam outfit advanced 2-1 on aggregate.

Other clubs to reach the group stage included two former champions, JS Kabylie of Algeria and FAR Rabat of Morocco and Petro Luanda of Angola.

South African Thembinkosi Lorch was among the goals as Wydad Casablanca of Morocco hammered Asante Kotoko of Ghana 5-1 on Friday to reach the CAF Confederation Cup group phase.

Three-time African champions Wydad led 1-0 from the first leg of the second round qualifier and progressed 6-1 on aggregate to the November 3 mini-leagues draw in Johannesburg.

Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns forward Lorch converted a 54th-minute penalty with a cheeky chip to give his club a 3-1 lead on the night and effectively take the tie beyond Kotoko.

Full-time 🏁
Qualification confirmed 👊#DimaWydad pic.twitter.com/PaFvUkYYKT

— Wydad Athletic Club (@WACofficiel) October 24, 2025

Wydad scored twice more in the closing stages, through Oussama Zemraoui from another penalty and Mohamed Bouchouari to confirm they will be among the title favourites.

Hamza Hannouri put the Moroccan outfit ahead in the first minute, Gilbani Samba equalised and Burkinabe Stephane Aziz Ki regained the lead to give the hosts a 2-1 half-time advantage.

Aziz with the second! ⚽🔥#DimaWydad pic.twitter.com/NTztQt5TJ3

— Wydad Athletic Club (@WACofficiel) October 24, 2025

Zamalek of Egypt, who have won the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League twice, had a surprisingly narrow 1-0 win over Dekedaha of Somalia in Cairo to finish 7-0 overall winners.

After scoring six against the Somalis in the first leg last weekend, the White Knights were expected to win convincingly again.

Qualified for the group stage. ✅ #CAFCC#DimaWydad pic.twitter.com/Y7txHjSGFK

— Wydad Athletic Club (@WACofficiel) October 24, 2025

Tanzanian outfit AZAM crushed KMKM of Zanzibar 7-0 in Dar es Salaam after taking a two-goal lead into the return match.

A feature of African club football in recent seasons has been the improvement of Tanzanian clubs and the arrival of Congolese coach Florent Ibenge has boosted AZAM hopes of going far this season.

Nigerian Sunday Adetunji scored twice as Al Hilal of Sudan beat Police of Kenya 3-1 to qualify for the CAF Champions League group phase.

Hilal, appearing in the premier African club competition a record 39th time, advanced 4-1 on aggregate on Friday having won the first leg 1-0 in Nairobi.

Adetunji, a recent Hilal recruit after stints with clubs in North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Kosovo, claimed the only goal of the first half.

Erick Zakayo levelled for Champions League debutants Police before Adetunji struck again and Mauritian Ahmed Salem netted deep in added time for Hilal.

#CAFCL

Bwa mbere mu mateka Power Dynamos FC yo muri Zambiya igeze mu matsinda ya CAF Champions League

Isezereye Vipers SC y'i Bugande ku giteranyo cy'ibitego 3-2

FT🇿🇲Power Dynamos 1-1 Vipers SC🇺🇬
⚽Moses Shumah 67'| Abdul Kalim Watambala 80'#africanfootball pic.twitter.com/7XJUYzQOu9

— 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐳𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚 (@SamirSylva) October 24, 2025

The match was played in Libyan city Benghazi because of the Sudanese civil war. Drones targeted the capital Khartoum for a third consecutive day on Thursday.

Power Dynamos of Zambia also secured a place in the group draw, set for Johannesburg on November 3, despite being held 1-1 by Vipers of Uganda in Ndola.

The Zambian outfit earned a mini-league place for the first time in five attempts thanks to a 2-1 victory in Kampala last weekend, which took them through 3-2 on aggregate.

Kenyan Moses Shumah scored for Power on 69 minutes and Abdul Karim Watambala equalised with 10 minutes of regular time remaining.

Orlando Pirates stand to lose US$600 000 or around R10,4 million, if they are eliminated from the African Champions League at the weekend, in what will be a hefty blow to the club’s finances.

Pirates have to fight back from a 0-3 deficit to stand any chance of qualifying for the Champions League group phase after a surprise loss away against St Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Lubumbashi last Sunday.

The minimum prize money in the group phase is $700 000, going up to $4 million for the winner, plus a vastly more lucrative berth in the next Club World Cup in 2029.

But if Pirates fail to get past their Congolese opponents at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday, they will receive only $100 000 for participating in this year’s Champions League, which could not even be enough to cover their costs of playing two rounds of preliminary knockout competition, including chartering a Cemair plane to Lubumbashi and back last weekend.

This is only the second year that clubs eliminated from African club competition before the group phase receive money. It has been increased 100 per cent from $50 000 last season but is still markedly less than the lucrative spoils for the 16 clubs who advance to the group phase.

Last year, the Confederation of African Football announced a new prize money structure for both the Champions League and the African Confederation Cup, and the monies handed out after the 2024-25 campaign are expected to stay the same for this season.

The last increase in prize monies for the two competitions was a 40 per cent improvement.

In the Champions League, the winner gets $4 million - an increase from the $2.5 million for the winner of the 2024 final.

The runner-up will receive $2 million. The semifinalists receive $1.2 million each, while each club that reaches the quarterfinals will receive $900 000. Teams that finish in third and fourth place in the group stage will each receive $700 000, bringing the total prize pool to $17.6 million.

In the Confederation Cup, the prize money for the winner has increased from $1.25 million to $2 million.

The runner-up gets $1 million, with $750 000 for the semifinalists and $550 000 for those teams eliminated in the quarterfinals. The teams eliminated in the group phase receive $400 000.

Orlando Pirates will have to do what no other South African club has previously done if they are to avoid an embarrassingly early exit from the African Champions League at the weekend.

Pirates must fight back from a 0-3 deficit in Soweto on Saturday after losing the first leg of their second round tie to unfancied St Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Lubumbashi last Sunday.

No South African side has ever come back from a deficit of three or more goals suffered in the first leg of an African club competition knockout round tie, leaving the odds stacked against the Buccaneers, who had lofty ambitions of continental success this season.

Saturday’s second leg is at the Orlando Stadium and kicks off at 3pm with the aggregate winner advancing to the group phase next month.

TRIED BUT FAILED

Previous large deficits have seen Kaizer Chiefs suffering a 4-0 loss to Tunisia’s Espérance in the third round of the Champions League in 2005 and going out before the group phase when they could only win the return 2-1.

In the same competition in 2014, Chiefs lost 3-0 away at AS Vita Club in Kinshasa and failed to overturn the deficit in the return leg at home although they did come close as they won 2-0.

Cape Town City lost 3-0 at home in the first leg of their 2022-23 Champions League second round clash with Petro Atlético from Angola and then went down 1-0 away in Luanda in the return.

In the Confederation Cup in 2005, SuperSport United lost 4-1 to Nigeria’s Dolphins in the first leg of their fourth-round tie and could only draw 2-2 at home in the second leg.

In the same competition in 2016, Bidvest Wits sent a second-string side to Azam of Tanzania and lost 3-0 and were then beaten 4-3 at home in the return leg.

Jomo Cosmos lost 3-0 to Mansoura of Egypt away in the first leg of their 1997 African Cup Winners’ Cup quarterfinal and drew 2-2 in the return to be eliminated.

Pirates have to win 3-0 to take Saturday’s tie to a post-match penalty shootout (there is no extra time in CAF club competition ties) or by four or more goals to win on aggregate.

There have been cases of South African clubs overturning a two-goal deficit from the first leg of a knockout round tie, notably when SuperSport took on Lupopo in the Confederation Cup in 2005.

It was 2-0 to the Congolese in Lubumbashi, but SuperSport won the return 2-0 and advanced on post-match penalties.

Black Leopards, Santos and Mamelodi Sundowns have also come back from two-goal deficits to win knockout round ties in previous years.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has confirmed that the highly anticipated Group Stage Draw for the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will take place on 3 November 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The draw will be staged at the studios of CAF’s official broadcast partner, SuperSport, and will be broadcast live to millions of fans across the continent and beyond. The event marks a pivotal moment in African club football, as 32 teams—16 in each competition—learn their fate ahead of the group stage battles.

The schedule for the draw is as follows:

- TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup: 1pm (SA time)

- TotalEnergies CAF Champions League: 2pm (SA time)

Fans can tune in live on SuperSport to witness the unveiling of the groups, which will set the stage for the next phase of Africa’s premier club competitions.

Before the draw, the final qualification hurdle will be cleared this weekend as clubs across the continent contest the second-leg ties of the final preliminary round. These decisive matches will determine the 16 teams that advance to the group stages of both the Champions League and Confederation Cup.

With the group stage kicking off later in November, anticipation is building among fans, clubs, and stakeholders. The draw not only shapes the competitive landscape but also ignites the dreams of clubs aiming to etch their names in African football history.

Stay tuned for updates and full coverage of the draw on SuperSport and CAF’s official platforms.

Orlando Pirates’ 3-0 loss in the Democratic Republic of Congo brought an abrupt end to a club record of eight wins in a row and also a bid to try and beat the record of matches without goals conceded.

Pirates were handed a heavy defeat by FC St Eloi Lupopo in the first leg of their African Champions League second round tie after winning their previous eight games – four in the league, two in the Champions League, their Carling Knockout first round victory, and the 3-0 extra time triumph over Stellenbosch in the MTN8 final.

In each of those matches, Pirates have kept a clean sheet, and the eight-match run is also the best for the club in the Premier Soccer League era.

Before travelling to Lubumbashi over the weekend, their last goal conceded was in the 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns at Atteridgeville when Iqraam Rayners put Sundowns ahead after 17 minutes, only for Kamogelo Sebelebele to equalise with 17 minutes left to play.

Pirates went 826 minutes without letting in a goal before Lupopo’s Wanet Kashala stunned them with a third-minute strike on Sunday.

The record for the most matches in a row without conceding belongs to the now-defunct Wits University from near the start of the 2003-04 season.

Roger de Sa’s side started their campaign with a 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs in the Top Eight competition and then went on to play 12 successive games without conceding a goal, starting with two in a row against Moroka Swallows (in the league on August 22, 2003, and then the Top Eight), followed by Chiefs (league), Jomo Cosmos, Mamelodi Sundowns, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Ajax Cape Town, Hellenic, Black Leopards (twice in a row in the Coca-Cola Cup and league), SuperSport United, and Cosmos again, in the cup.

The run came to an end after 1121 minutes (18.6 hours) when Chiefs beat them 3-0 in the Coca-Cola Cup semifinal on November 26, with Sibusiso Dlamini’s goal bringing the streak to an end.

That game was, ironically, the second in what became a run of nine matches without conceding for Chiefs the same season – the second best by a team in the PSL era.

It started for Chiefs on November 9, 2003, when they beat Manning Rangers and extended with wins over Wits (Coca-Cola Cup semi), Dynamos, Silver Stars (Coca-Cola Cup final), Pirates, Zulu Royals, Santos, Hellenic, and Arrows.

It ended after 880 minutes (14.6 hours) when Malawian Russell Mwafulirwa scored for Cosmos in a 1-1 league draw on February 22, 2004.

That proved a remarkable season for records because SuperSport achieved the feat of seven wins in a row with seven clean sheets also in the 2003-04 campaign. That was the best combination before Pirates beat it in the last weeks.

SuperSport began their run with a 5-0 home victory over Namibia’s Civics in the Champions League, then beat Sundowns in the league; Cosmos, Civics again in the second leg in Windhoek; Rangers, Wits, and then Zulu Royals in the second round of the Absa Cup. The run of wins and clean sheets ended with a 1-1 draw in Mauritius in the second round of the Champions League against AS Port Louis 2000.

Mamelodi Sundowns scored five goals in Nigeria and Orlando Pirates conceded three in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday in a mixed day for South Africa in CAF Champions League qualifying.

Sundowns were runners-up to Egyptian side Pyramids in the premier African club competition last season and once again rank among the favourite to pocket the $4 million first prize.

But despite being among the Champions League title contenders for many seasons, not even their most partisan supporters foresaw a 5-1 second round, first leg victory over Remo Stars in Abeokuta.

Mamelodi Sundowns make a massive statement against Nigeria's Remo Stars 👆🟡#TotalEnergiesCACL | #SSFootball pic.twitter.com/q8bcTMdcZd

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 19, 2025

Namibian Peter Shalulile, Portuguese Miguel Reisinho and Brazilian Arthur Sales were among the five scorers for Sundowns, who led 2-0 at half-time.

While no Nigerian club has won the Champions League since Enyimba in 2004, representatives from the most populous country in Africa are usually competitive at home in continental competitions.

Pirates were semifinals losers to Pyramids last season and there were expectations that they would go far again.

A 3-0 loss to Saint-Eloi Lupopo in Lubumbashi, however, means the odds are against the Buccaneers even reaching the group stage that follows the second round.

☠️ FT | @fcsteloilupopo 3 - 0 @orlandopirates

⚫⚪🔴⭐#MatchDay#TotalEnergiesCAFCL #OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/C5ADnkbHRk

— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) October 19, 2025

Making a rare Champions League appearance, Lupopo were ahead inside three minutes through Wanet Kashala and Burkinabe Dramane Kambou and Jean Benoit Tukumbane scored in the second half.

While the away-goal rule has been scrapped in European club competitions, it remains in Africa.

Were Lupopo to score once in South Africa on Saturday, Pirates would have to do so five times to survive.

Another potentially serious contender to build a 3-0 advantage were Tanzanian outfit Simba away to Nsingizini Hotspurs from Eswatini.

Kibu Denis netted twice in the closing stages for the Dar es Salaam club, who were runners-up in the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup last season.

After four failed attempts, Zambian champions Power Dynamos are poised to reach the group phase a first time, and pocket a minimum $700 000.

They came from behind to beat Vipers from Uganda 2-1 in Kampala, where Derrick Ndahiro conceded an own goal on 77 minutes after Kenyan Moses Shumah had equalised.

Danish coach Jess Thorup made a winning debut in the CAF Champions League on Saturday when his Al Ahly side won 1-0 at Aigle Noir of Burundi in Bujumbura in their qualifier first leg.

An own goal decided the second-round game in east Africa as Kanyamukenge Iragi deflected a Mohamed Hany cross into his own net on 36 minutes.

Thorup replaced Spaniard Jose Riveiro, who joined the record 12-time African champions in mid-2025 from South African club Orlando Pirates.

A winning start to our CAF Champions League campaign 💪🦅 pic.twitter.com/uqT7zKKdTY

— Al Ahly SC 🇬🇧 (@AlAhlyEnglish) October 18, 2025

Riveiro was sacked after winning only one of four Egyptian Premier League matches. He also failed to take Ahly past the group stage at the Club World Cup in the United States.

Thorup previously coached in Denmark, Belgium and Germany. He was fired by Bundesliga outfit Augsburg last May.

Ahly won the Champions League in 2023 and 2024 but, for a fourth time, failed to follow up back-to-back triumphs with a record third straight title.

Perfect CAF Champions League debut 🤩 pic.twitter.com/xiohGRAw6c

— Al Ahly SC 🇬🇧 (@AlAhlyEnglish) October 18, 2025

They lost to Mamelodi Sundowns on away goals in the semi-finals last season, and both clubs will again be among the favourites.

Ahly and Sundowns received first-round qualifying byes and the South Africans face a potential tricky away fixture against Remo Stars in Nigeria on Sunday.

The other Nigerian contenders, Rivers United, suffered a setback in the final qualifying round before the 16-club group stage when losing 1-0 to Black Bulls of Mozambique in Maputo.

Moctar Diallo, a 20-year-old Senegalese, was Bulls' match-winner with a goal five minutes into the second half.

Another visiting team to lose were experienced African campaigners Young Africans of Tanzania, who fell 1-0 to Silver Strikers of Malawi in Lilongwe, where Andrew Joseph scored the 76th-minute winner.

Away victories for four-time champions Esperance of Tunisia and Angolan side Petro Luanda put them in pole position to reach the group stage.

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates head off to Lubumbashi this weekend for the first case of two South African clubs playing in the same venue on the same weekend in African club competition matches.

Chiefs are first up on Saturday in the first leg of their African Confederation Cup second round clash against AS Simba, who are newcomers to continental competition, while Pirates are in action on Sunday against St Eloi Lupopo in the Champions League.

Both games are at the TP Mazembe Stadium in the southern Congolese city.

There is a long history of clashes between clubs from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa with 57 past meetings. South African clubs have won 24 times, with 17 draws and 16 defeats, and the goal count is 70 scored and 62 conceded.

Supersport.com details all the past meetings, the first of which was more than three decades ago:

1993 Cup Winners’ Cup: Jomo Cosmos beat DC Motema Pembe on the away goals rule in the quarterfinal as South Africa competed in the Confederation of African Football club competition for the first time.

1994 Champions Cup: Mamelodi Sundowns were eliminated in the second round on the away goals rule after a 4-4 aggregate draw with AS Vita Club.

2001 Champions League: Sundowns drew 0-0 away at Mazembe and then beat them 1-0 at home in the group phase, going on to reach the final.

2002 Champions League: Pirates were knocked out in the second round 4-2 on aggregate by Mazembe.

2005 Confederation Cup: SuperSport United lost 2-0 away to St Eloi Lupopo in the first leg of their third round tie but then won 2-0 at home and went on to take the penalty shootout 3-2.

The #TotalEnergiesCAFCC Second Preliminary Round.

Here's the first leg line-up! 👇 pic.twitter.com/3036er45M4

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 16, 2025

2007 Confederation Cup: Sundowns were in the same group as Mazembe, beating them 3-2 at home but losing 1-3 away and failing to progress.

2009 Confederation Cup: Sundowns were knocked out by Vita 3-2 on aggregate in the second round.

2012 Confederation Cup: Black Leopards beat St Eloi Lupopo 6-4 on aggregate in the second round and got as far as the fourth round.

2013 Champions League: Pirates overcame a host of shenanigans in Lubumbashi with two penalty saves from Senzo Meyiwa to eliminate Mazembe 3-2 on aggregate and advance to the group stage.

2013 Confederation Cup: SuperSport overcame Don Bosco from Lubumbashi 4-3 on aggregate in the first round.

2014 Champions League: Kaizer Chiefs lost 3-0 in the first leg to Vita in Kinshasa and were only able to win 2-0 in the return, missing out on the group phase.

2015 Champions League: Sundowns met Mazembe for a place in the group stage and won 1-0 at home but were eliminated after a 3-1 away loss in the second leg.

2016 Champions League: Sundowns lost on the away goals to Vita after a 2-2 aggregate draw but then advanced to the group stage when it was found Vita had fielded a defaulter in the earlier round.

The Second Preliminary Round starts tomorrow!

Here's what's on the schedule for the first leg in the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/sNdin2NFCE

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 16, 2025

2017 Super Cup: Sundowns edged Mazembe 1-0 to take the Super Cup at Loftus Versfeld with a late penalty from Brazilian defender Ricardo Nascimento.

2017 Champions League: Sundowns beat Vita 3-1 away in Kinshasa and drew 1-1 with them at home in the group stage as they advanced to the quarterfinals.

2017 Confederation Cup: SuperSport finished runners-up to Mazembe in the final 1-2 on aggregate, having drawn with them twice earlier when they were in the same group.

2020-21 Champions League: Sundowns won both home and away against Mazembe in the group competition but then got knocked out in the quarterfinal.

2020-21 Confederation Cup: Bloemfontein Celtic’s first-round debut on the continent saw them win 2-0 away but then lose at home and have to edge past Maniema Union on post-match spot kicks.

2021-22 Champions League: Sundowns had to get past Maniema in the second round to qualify for the group stage and did so 4-2 on aggregate.

2021-22 Champions League: AmaZulu, under Benni McCarthy, were making their African club competition debut and upset Mazembe on the away goals rule to reach the group stage at the first time of asking.

2021-22 Confederation Cup: Marumo Gallants had back-to-back Congolese opponents in their debut, beating Vita 3-2 on aggregate but then going out to Mazembe 0-1 on aggregate.

2022-23 Confederation Cup: Gallants beat St Eloi Lupopo twice in the group stage and went on to reach the semifinals but also got relegated from the league. Royal AM made their debut in African competition and got to the third round before Mazembe beat them both home and away.

2023-24 Champions League: Sundowns lost in Lubumbashi to Mazembe in their first group meeting but beat them in Pretoria to go through and reach the semifinals.

2023-24 Confederation Cup: Sekhukhune’s first foray into CAF competition was a 3-1 home win over St Eloi Lupopo in the first round and a 1-1 draw away in the return as they went through to the group stage.

2024-25 Champions League: Maniema got through to the group phase for the first time and handed Sundowns a shock with a 0-0 draw in Pretoria but a 2-1 win for the South Africans in Kinshasa in the return saw them go through and eventually get to the final.

2024-25 Confederation Cup: New boys Stellenbosch made it all the way to the semifinal, which included a second round triumph over Vita 3-1 on aggregate during which their coach Abdeslam Ouaddou quit.

Title-holders Pyramids of Egypt cruised into the final qualifying round of the 2025-26 CAF Champions League on Sunday after beating APR of Rwanda 3-0 in Cairo.

The dominant performance, coupled with a 2-0 first round, first leg win in Kigali last Wednesday, gave the defending champions a 5-0 aggregate victory in the premier African club competition.

It was the third consecutive season in which the clubs have met in the qualifying phase for the 16-club group competition.

Pyramids won 6-1 on aggregate in 2023 and 4-2 overall last season. Not ranked among the favourites, the Cairo outfit went on to upset Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa 3-2 over two legs in the 2024-25 final.

Mostafa Ziko put Pyramids in front against APR after 43 minutes in the Egyptian capital. Ahmed Atef and Mohamed Hamdy then scored within two minutes midway through the second half.

Pyramids are due to play Insurance in Ethiopia between October 17-19, but a new date will have to be found as they meet Renaissance Berkane of Morocco that weekend for the CAF Super Cup.

The home win over APR was the fourth in a row in international competitions for Pyramids under 55-year-old Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic.

Before overcoming APR, Pyramids beat Auckland City of New Zealand and Al Ahly of Saudi Arabia to secure a Fifa Challenger Cup play-off against Cruz Azul of Mexico or the South American champions.

Qatar will host the play-off on December 13 and the winners face Uefa Champions League title-holders Paris Saint-Germain four days later in the Intercontinental Cup final.

In another CAF Champions League second leg, Saint-Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo forced a 0-0 draw away to Al Merrikh of Sudan to advance 1-0 on aggregate.

Lupopo will face Orlando Pirates of South Africa in the final qualifying round.

Both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will be heading to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo in their African club competition second-round tie after the belated completion of first-round fixtures on Saturday.

In what will be a first for both in their long history, they will be heading outside of the country for the first time together, and to the same destination, on the same weekend, playing their first leg ties away at the TP Mazembe Stadium.

In the African Champions League, Pirates will be taking on St Eloi Lupopo after they produced a shock and held the Sudanese Al Merrikh to a goalless draw in the second leg of their first-round scrimmage.

Lupopo had won the first leg in Lubumbashi last weekend and in Saturday’s second leg, played in Libya because of the civil war in Sudan, held out for a narrow aggregate triumph.

Lupopo are the second club in the southern city of Lubumbashi, in the shadow of richer neighbours TP Mazembe.

Chiefs will take on AS Simba in the second round of the Confederation Cup after the Congolese outfit completed a 3-0 aggregate triumph over Djabal of Comoros.

Both legs were played in Lubumbashi because the Comorian club did not have a suitable home ground.

The first leg last weekend was Simba’s home match and they won 1-0 and Djabal ‘hosted’ the second leg on Saturday where Ilunga Nsungu scored a double – with goals either side of halftime – to hand Simba progress.

Simba hail from Kolwezi, some 300km from Lubumbashi, and are competing in continental competition for the first time. Their stadium cannot be used for African club competition matches, so they are playing in Lubumbashi.

They qualified for the Confederation Cup with a 1-0 win over FC MK Etanchéité of Kinshasa in last season’s Coupe du Congo final.

Chiefs will likely play on Sunday, October 19, with Pirates playing on Saturday, October 18.

The return legs are on the weekend of October 24-26.

 

Both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will belatedly find out the identity of their next opponents on Saturday.

There is a chance both will take on opposition from the Democratic Republic of Congo in the second round of their respective competitions.

An impasse over the identity of the Congolese representatives in this season’s continental competitions delayed the ties involving their teams, which has meant the two Soweto giants have had to wait to see who they next play.

Pirates, who easily overcame Lioli from Lesotho 7-0 on aggregate in the Champions League first round, take on either St Eloi Lupopo from Lubumbashi or the Sudanese club Al Merrikh.

The first leg of their tie was played last weekend in Lubumbashi and saw the host score a narrow 1-0 home win with a late goal from Jonathan Mokonzi.

The return leg is at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Benghazi, Libya, on Saturday. Al Merrikh are forced to play their home matches in neutral venues because of the civil conflict in Sudan.

Chiefs, who had a narrow penalty shootout victory over Kabuscorp of Angola in their Confederation Cup first round tie, take on either AS Simba from Kolwezi or Djabal from the Comoros.

Djabal also do not have a suitable home venue in the Comoros, so have elected to play both the home and away leg in the Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi. Lubumabshi.

Last Sunday was Simba’s home leg, and they only won 1-0, giving Djabal hopes of an upset comeback. Simba’s own home ground in Kolwezi was not passed for use in international fixtures, so they are forced to play some 300km from their home.

Star striker Fiston Mayele scored twice as Pyramids of Egypt began their Caf Champions League title defence with a 2-0 away victory over APR of Rwanda in Kigali on Wednesday.

Congolese Mayele struck after 50 and 86 minutes of the first round first leg qualifier at a stadium named after deceased Brazilian superstar Pele.

Careless passing by the home team led to both goals, and the result virtually assures Pyramids of progress to the second and final qualifying round. The return match is in Cairo on Sunday.

Mayele, the leading scorer in the premier African club competition last season with nine goals, displayed clinical finishing to punish the APR errors.

The 31-year-old held off the challenges of three opponents to open the scoring with a shot that flew into the net at the near post.

 

ماييلي يختار الشناوي رجلًا للمباراة 🎖️🔝#Pyramids | #ملوك_الكرة | #APRPYR pic.twitter.com/HMvaGAEamL

— Pyramids FC (@pyramidsfc) October 1, 2025

 

Abdelrahman Magdy set up the first goal and was also the architect of the second, sending Mayele through to score with a low shot into the far corner.

This is the third consecutive season that the clubs have met in a Champions League qualifier, with Pyramids winning 6-1 on aggregate in 2023 and 4-2 last year.

Insurance of Ethiopia await APR or Pyramids in the second round. The first leg is scheduled for 17-19 October, with the return match the following weekend.

The race for African club football’s most prestigious crown has officially kicked off following the draw for the Preliminary and Second Preliminary Rounds of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26, held at Azam Media Studios in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday.

A record 62 clubs from across the continent will feature in this season’s campaign, underscoring the competition’s growing appeal.

Record title winners Al Ahly of Egypt and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, both top-ranked sides, have been handed byes into the Second Preliminary Round where defending champions Pyramids FC of Egypt will face Rwanda’s APR.

The draw also delivered several tantalising fixtures in the early stages.

Almost time for the #TotalEnergiesCAFCC second preliminary round qualifiers, be ready! pic.twitter.com/5wygilXcO0

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) September 30, 2025

North African powerhouses could collide early as Sierra Leone’s East End Lions will face Tunisia’s US Monastirienne, with the winners earning a shot at the winners of the clash between Ghana’s Bibiani Gold Stars and Algerian giants JS Kabylie.

Liberia’s FC Fassell will look to overcome Senegal’s ASC Jaraaf for a potential meeting with Algeria’s MC Alger, while Benin’s Dadjè FC and Libya’s representative, Libya 1, clash for the chance to face Togo’s ASCK or Morocco’s RS Berkane.

Elsewhere, Nigeria’s Remo Stars meet Comoros’ US Zilimadjou for the right to play Sundowns, while Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora tackle Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs in a tie that leads to a showdown with Botswana’s Gaborone United — and ultimately Tanzania’s Simba SC in the next round.

Zambia’s Power Dynamos begin against Ivorian heavyweights ASEC Mimosas with the winner of the match between Namibia’s African Stars and Vipers FC of Uganda waiting in the wings.

Rahimo FC of Burkina Faso will face Gabon’s AS Mangasport with the winners taking on the victor in Niger’s Forces Armées meeting Tunisian giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST).

Has your team made it past the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL first preliminary round qualifiers?

Join us for round two! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/QZk7Nxj5gK

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) September 30, 2025

Teams that exit in the first two rounds will this season receive USD 100 000 to cover their logistical costs as CAF seeks to encourage more clubs to take part, which is reflected in the record number of teams registered for the 2025/26 season.

The Preliminary Round kicks off with first-leg matches between 19–21 September 2025 and second-leg matches between 26–28 September 2025. The Second Preliminary Round follows from 17–19 October (first leg) and 24–26 October (second leg).

The Group Stage begins on 21 November 2025, with the knockout phase set to start on 13 March 2026.

Ivory Coast club ASEC Mimosas became the first high-profile casualties of 2025-26 CAF Champions League qualifying on Sunday after losing a penalty shootout against Zambian visitors Power Dynamos.

Souleymane Fofana scored after 52 minutes to give former African champions ASEC a 1-0 win in the first round second leg in the Ivorian commercial capital Abidjan despite having Seydou Sacko sent off.

The narrow victory levelled the aggregate score at 1-1 after Power Dynamos had won the first leg last weekend through a solitary goal from Innocent Kashita.

While the Zambians converted five consecutive penalties in the shootout, Benin international midfielder Romaric Amoussou missed the fifth ASEC spot-kick and his club were eliminated.

The other Ivorian challengers, Stade Abidjan, did secure a place in the final qualifying round during October thanks to a 5-1 aggregate victory over Cote d'Or of the Seychelles.

Power Dynamos, who have never reached the group stage of the premier African club competition, will face Vipers of Uganda in the second round.

Vipers, who also have never made it to the 16-club group phase, won 1-0 both at home and away against African Stars of Namibia with Junior Sentamu the second-leg match-winner in Uganda.

While ASEC fell, the other six former champions in action, including Stade Abidjan, comfortably survived the first hurdle.

Orlando Pirates of South Africa and JS Kabylie of Algeria had the widest winning margins, scoring seven goals each without reply over two legs against Lioli of Lesotho and Bibiani Gold Stars of Ghana, respectively.

NIGERIAN VICTORIES

Esperance of Tunisia were 7-1 overall victors against AS FAN of Niger, while there were three-goal winning margins for FAR Rabat of Morocco over Real Banjul of Gambia and Mouloudia Alger of Algeria against Fassell of Liberia.

Surprise 2024-25 champions Pyramids of Egypt will only start their title defence on Wednesday against APR in Rwanda due to Fifa Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup commitments.

Record 12-time Champions League winners Al Ahly of Egypt and 2016 title-holders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa had first round byes.

The nine former champions have avoided each other in the final qualifying round line-up, creating the possibility that they could all be involved in the group phase from November 21.

Only one club from African football powerhouse Nigeria has won the competition, with Enyimba achieving back-to-back successes in 2003 and 2004.

Nigerian challengers Remo Stars and Rivers United both made it the final qualifying round this season after contrasting victories.

Stars followed up a four-goal first-leg win over Zilimadjou of the Comoros by winning the return match 1-0 through an Alex Oyowah goal after 74 minutes.

After a goalless first leg against Aigles in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rivers won 1-0 at home and on aggregate thanks to Stephen Manyo, who netted six minutes into first-half added time.