Al Ahly, Esperance, Medeama, Wydad, and Mamelodi Sundowns are among the 16 teams that have successfully secured their spots in the CAF Champions League group stages.
Al Ahly began the journey with a commanding 7-0 aggregate victory over Ethiopian champions Saint George. Pyramids, who finished second in the Egyptian Premier League, also advanced by defeating APR 6-1 on aggregate, joining their domestic rivals in the group stage.
Esperance, a regular presence in the knockout stage, managed to overcome a challenging encounter with Burkina Faso’s AS Douanes, securing a narrow 1-0 lead.
Last season’s runners-up, Wydad, displayed their strength by defeating Guinea’s Haifa 4-1 on aggregate. Mamelodi Sundowns, whom Wydad eliminated in the semi-finals last season, cruised past Bumamuru with a convincing 6-0 victory.
Romain Folz, the former manager of Marumo Gallants and AmaZulu, suffered an early exit with his new team, Horoya AC. Meanwhile, Ghana Premier League representatives Medeama achieved a historic qualification for this stage by defeating their opponents 4-3 over two legs.
Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana, the lowest-ranked team, will be seeded in Pot 4 during the eventual draw after securing a thrilling victory over Orlando Pirates, winning 5-4 on penalties on Friday evening. On the other hand, Nasredine Nabbi’s AS FAR was eliminated by Etoile du Sahel after a 3-1 aggregate loss.
So far, the confirmed participants in the group stage are:
- Al Ahly
- Wydad AC
- Esperance
- Mamelodi Sundowns
- CR Bolouizdad
- Simba SC
- Pyramids
- Petro de Luanda
- TP Mazembe
- Al Hilal
- Young Africans
- Asec Mimosas
- Etoile du Sahel
- Jwaneng Galaxy
- FC Nouadhibou
- Medeama SC
