CAF Unveils 2025/26 Champions League Group Stage Draw

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially unveiled the group stage draw for the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League, setting the stage for a thrilling continental showdown.

The draw, conducted at the SuperSport studios in Johannesburg on Monday, features some of Africa’s biggest football powerhouses, including defending champions Pyramids FC, Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Espérance de Tunis.

Group A: Clash of the Heavyweights

Group A headlines the draw with a fierce rematch between Pyramids FC of Egypt and RS Berkane of Morocco, who met in the CAF Super Cup earlier this year — a clash Pyramids edged 1–0.

They’ll be joined by Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambia’s Power Dynamos, forming one of the most competitive and unpredictable groups of the campaign.

Other Group Highlights

• Group B: Record 12-time winners Al Ahly (Egypt) face Young Africans (Tanzania), AS FAR (Morocco), and JS Kabylie (Algeria).

• Group C: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) will battle Al Hilal (Sudan), MC Alger (Algeria), and St Éloi Lupopo (DR Congo).

• Group D: Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia) go up against Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), and Stade Malien (Mali).

Schedule and Prize Money

The group stage kicks off from November 21–23, 2025, with two matchdays before the AFCON Morocco 2025 break. Games will resume between January 23–25, 2026, while the knockout rounds begin on March 13, 2026.

CAF confirmed that this season’s Champions League winners will take home $4 million, while the runners-up will earn $2 million.

Full Group Stage Draw

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 de Tunis (Tunisia), Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Stade Malien (Mali)