"Anticipated Arab clashes": everything you need to know about the draw for the round of 16 of the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup
The draw is tomorrow
Fans are awaiting the group stage draw for the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup for the current 2026-2027 season.
Both line-ups for the round of 16 are now complete. The qualified sides will be split into four groups per competition, each containing four teams, with the top two advancing to the quarter-finals.
CAF will hold the draw tomorrow, Wednesday, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in 6th of October City.
CAF Champions League: the seeding in the absence of the title holder
The preliminary rounds threw up a few shocks. The biggest? Holders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa crashing out to Angola's Wiliete.
Once the sixteen teams were confirmed, pot one fell under complete Arab dominance, with Egypt flexing their muscle through Zamalek and Pyramids.
Ahead of the draw, the teams were split as follows:
Pot one: Zamalek, Pyramids, Tunisia's Esperance, Morocco's Berkane.
Pot two: Sudan's Al-Hilal, Tanzania's Simba, Tanzania's Young Africans, Angola's Petro Atletico.
Pot three: South Africa's Orlando Pirates, Guinea's Horoya, Mauritania's Nouadhibou, Algeria's MC Alger.
Pot four: Angola's Wiliete, Tunisia's Club Africain, Morocco's Maghreb Fes, Cameroon's Colombe Sportive.
Under the seeding, Arab versus Arab clashes in the round of 16 are firmly on the cards, and two sides from the same country could even land in the same group.
Esperance sit in pot one alongside Tunisian compatriots in pot four, and the same goes for Berkane and Maghreb Fes.
Confederation Cup: a fiery competition
Several storied clubs populate the Confederation Cup, which promises a fiery group stage.
With the qualifiers now settled, the teams were split into four levels as follows:
Pot one: Egypt's Al-Ahly, Algeria's USM Alger, Morocco's AS FAR, and the qualifier from the clash between (Algeria's CR Belouizdad and Mauritania's FC Nouadhibou Customs).
Pot two: Morocco's Raja, Congo's Maniema, Tanzania's Azam, Tunisia's CS Sfaxien.
Pot three: Libya's Al-Ahli Tripoli, Tanzania's Singida, Mozambique's Black Bulls, Mali's Real Bamako.
Pot four: Togo's ASKO Kara, Zambia's Red Arrows, Angola's 1º de Agosto, South Africa's Durban City.
Once again, the seeding leaves the door open to Arab versus Arab ties in the next round, with two teams from one country also capable of sharing a group, such as AS FAR and Raja.
