After this weekend’s CAF Champions League second round ties, and the shock elimination of defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, here are all 16 teams who qualified for the group stages.
Like last year, South Africa will only have one representative in the group stages, but this year the roles were reversed, as Sundowns got knocked out in the prelims and Orlando Pirates qualified.
Masandawana suffered a shock 1-1 aggregate defeat to Wiliete SC, who progressed on the away goal rule. Pirates, meanwhile, eased into the next round after beating African Stars 5-0 on aggregate.
Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Tanzania are all represented by two teams, with the likes of former champions Pyramids, Espérance, Zamalek and MC Alger all making it through.
Both South African coaches, Steve Barker and Manqoba Mngqithi, qualified with Simba SC and Young Africans, respectively but the latter has still been sacked after dropping to five points behind their rivals in the league.
Here are all qualified teams:
Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan), Club Africain (Tunisia), Colombe Sportive (Cameroon), Espérance (Tunisia), FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania), Horoya AC (Guinea), MAS de Fès (Morocco), MC Alger (Algeria), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Petro Atlético (Angola), Pyramids FC (Egypt), RS Berkane (Morocco), Simba SC (Tanzania), Wiliete SC (Angola), Young Africans (Tanzania), Zamalek SC (Egypt).
The Confederation of African Football have confirmed the Group Stage Draw will take place at the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Headquarters in Cairo on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, at 15h00 local time (14h00 SAST).
The draw will divide the 16 qualified clubs into four groups of four, with the Group Stage scheduled to begin in November.
The Group Stage will feature four groups of four teams, with the top two clubs in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
The eventual winners of this season’s CAF Champions League are set to receive a record USD 6 million (R100 million).
The draw for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage will also take place on Wednesday, with Durban City qualified after Kaizer Chiefs also crashed out in the prelims to Zambian outfit Red Arrows on penalties.
It is scheduled for at 14h00 local time (13h00 SAST) at the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Headquarters.