Akin Ayomide
Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambia’s Power Dynamos will complete a compelling quartet in Group A of the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League, following Monday’s official draw in Johannesburg.
The draw, conducted at the studios of CAF Broadcast Partner SuperSport, produced several mouth-watering matchups, including a thrilling rematch between reigning champions Pyramids FC of Egypt and Moroccan giants RS Berkane.
A star-studded lineup featuring seven former African champions and the defending title-holders promises one of the most competitive and high-quality group stages in the history of the competition.
Group A headlines the narrative with a marquee reunion, as Pyramids FC and RS Berkane — winners of last season’s CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup respectively — renew hostilities after their CAF Super Cup clash, which Pyramids won 1–0.
Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambia’s Power Dynamos join them in what is expected to be a fiercely contested group brimming with quality, ambition, and continental pedigree.
Record 12-time winners Al Ahly of Egypt anchor Group B, where they will face Tanzania’s Young Africans, Moroccan champions AS FAR, and two-time African champions JS Kabylie, in a pool steeped in history and rivalry.
Group C pairs perennial contenders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa with Sudan’s Al Hilal, Algeria’s MC Alger, and DR Congo’s St Éloi Lupopo — all clubs with rich pedigrees and passionate fan bases.
Four-time winners Espérance de Tunis headline Group D, alongside Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), and Stade Malien (Mali), setting up another series of heavyweight duels across the continent.
The Group Stage will kick off on the weekend of Nov. 21 to Nov. 23, with two matchdays to be played before the start of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.
The competition will pause during the continental showpiece and resume on the weekend of Jan. 23 to Jan. 25, 2026. The knockout phase is scheduled to commence on March 13, 2026.
The winners of the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League will receive $4 million in prize money, while the runners-up will earn $2 million.
TOTALENERGIES CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUPS
Group A: RS Berkane (Morocco), Pyramids FC (Egypt), Rivers United (Nigeria), Power Dynamos (Zambia)
Group B: Al Ahly (Egypt), Young Africans (Tanzania), AS FAR (Morocco), JS Kabylie (Algeria)
Group C: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Al Hilal (Sudan), MC Alger (Algeria), St Éloi Lupopo (DR Congo)
Group D: Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Stade Malien (Mali)
CAF INTERCLUB GROUP STAGE MATCH DAYS
MD1: Nov. 21-23
MD2: Nov. 28-30
MD3: Jan. 23-25
MD4: Jan. 30 – Feb. 1
MD5: Feb. 6-8
MD6: Feb. 13-15.