The draw, streamed live on CAF TV and partner broadcasters including Arryadya and beIN Sports, drew millions of viewers from Cairo to Cape Town. CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba opened proceedings by hailing the record participation in the preliminary rounds – sixty-two clubs – and reaffirmed President Dr Patrice Motsepe’s vision of a self-sustaining African club ecosystem. “Today we do not just assign groups,” Mosengo-Omba declared. “We ignite rivalries that will echo in stadiums from Port Harcourt to Rabat, from Kitwe to Omdurman.”
Group A: A Rematch Written in Continental Ink
The headline act is unquestionably Group A. Pyramids FC, who lifted their maiden CAF Champions League trophy last May with a 2-0 aggregate victory over Mamelodi Sundowns, will renew hostilities with RS Berkane barely two weeks after edging the Moroccans 1-0 in the CAF Super Cup in Doha. That Super Cup goal, a 73rd-minute strike by South African forward Fagrie Lakay, still stings in Berkane, where orange-clad supporters filled the streets of the eastern city chanting for revenge.
Pyramids arrive as clear favourites. Backed by Emirati investment and coached by Portuguese tactician Jaime Pacheco, the Sky Blues boast a squad laced with international pedigree: Tunisian playmaker Firas Chaouat, Moroccan full-back Mohamed Chibi, and Ivorian striker Jean-Philippe Krasso, whose fourteen goals made him last season’s top scorer. Their domestic form is imperious – ten wins from eleven Egyptian Premier League matches – and their 80,000-seater New Administrative Capital Stadium is already sold out for the visit of RS Berkane on Matchday 2.
RS Berkane, champions of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2024/25, counter with a blend of Moroccan steel and West African flair. Ivorian forward Djibril Ouattara, who terrorised defences with his pace last term, has already scored five goals this Botola Pro season. Coach Moïse Katiaka, the Congolese tactician who masterminded their Confederation Cup triumph, has drilled a high-pressing 4-3-3 that suffocated Pyramids in the Super Cup until Lakay’s intervention. Berkane’s Stade Municipal, perched on a hill overlooking the Moulouya River, will be a cauldron when Rivers United visit on Matchday 5.
Rivers United, champions of the Nigeria Premier Football League in 2024/25, enter as underdogs yet brim with quiet confidence. Finidi George, the former Ajax and Real Betis winger turned manager, has rebuilt the Pride of Rivers around a spine of Super Eagles talent: goalkeeper Victor Sochima, midfielder Nyima Nwagua, and striker Andy Okpe, whose twenty-one league goals earned him the Golden Boot. Their qualification run – 3-0 over Jeunesse Sportive de Kinshasa, then 3-1 over Mozambique’s Black Bulls – showcased a counter-attacking verve that could unsettle Pyramids’ possession game. The Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, newly fitted with 35,000 orange seats, will host Pyramids on Matchday 1 under floodlights that turn the Niger Delta night electric.
Power Dynamos, the Zambian giants nicknamed “Aba Yellow,” complete the group. Founded in 1978 by the national power utility ZESCO, they carry the weight of Zambian football history: quarter-finalists in 1985, domestic champions four times in the last decade. Coach Perry Mutapa, a Chipolopolo legend, has forged a squad around teenage sensation Rickson Ng’ambi, whose curling 25-yard strikes have lit up the MTN Super League. Their Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe, ringed by copper-mine chimneys, averages 18,000 raucous fans; Rivers United’s visit on Matchday 3 will test the Nigerians’ resolve against a side that eliminated Uganda’s Vipers SC 5-2 on aggregate in the preliminaries.
Group B: Al Ahly’s Quest for Lucky 13
Record twelve-time champions Al Ahly headline Group B, joined by Tanzania’s Young Africans (Yanga), Moroccan league winners AS FAR, and Algerian stalwarts JS Kabylie. The Red Devils, under Swiss coach Marcel Koller, are chasing an unprecedented thirteenth star. Their Cairo International Stadium – capacity 75,000 – will host Yanga on Matchday 1, a fixture that pits Africa’s most decorated club against East Africa’s most passionate fanbase. Yanga’s Jangwani Street headquarters in Dar es Salaam has already printed 50,000 green-and-yellow scarves emblazoned “Wananchama vs The Pharaohs.”
AS FAR, armed forces club and freshly crowned Botola champions, bring military discipline and flair. Ivorian winger Joseph Esso, signed from Dreams FC of Ghana, has scored eight goals in twelve matches. Their Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, overlooked by the royal palace, will be a fortress when Al Ahly visit on Matchday 4. JS Kabylie, two-time African champions in 1981 and 1990, rely on Algerian grit and Malian marksman Adama Niane. The November 1, 1954 Stadium in Tizi Ouzou, nestled in the Kabylia mountains, has seen Kabylie eliminate giants before; Yanga’s trip there on Matchday 6 could decide second spot.
Group C: Sundowns and the North African Gauntlet
Mamelodi Sundowns, seven-time South African champions and 2016 CAF kings, anchor Group C alongside Sudan’s Al Hilal, Algeria’s MC Alger, and DR Congo’s St Éloi Lupopo. The Brazilians, coached by Miguel Cardoso, boast Bafana Bafana stars Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena, and Themba Zwane. Loftus Versfeld’s yellow sea will roar loudest for the visit of MC Alger on Matchday 2 – a rematch of the 2016 final, which Sundowns won 3-1 on aggregate.
Al Hilal, the Blue Wave of Omdurman, carry Sudanese pride. Their 40,000-seater Al-Hilal Stadium, painted sky blue, has hosted continental thrillers; Lupopo’s journey from Lubumbashi will test the Congolese side’s resolve. MC Alger, nine-time Algerian champions, feature captain Ayoub Abdellaoui and Ivorian striker Romain Fol. The July 5 Stadium in Algiers, with its running track and fervent ultras, could see Sundowns drop crucial points on Matchday 5.
St Éloi Lupopo, revived by mining conglomerate Gécamines, stunned Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the preliminaries. Their Stade des Jeunes in Lubumbashi, surrounded by copper refineries, averages 25,000; Al Hilal’s visit on Matchday 3 will be a clash of continental underdogs.
Group D: Esperance’s Tunisian Fortress
Esperance Sportive de Tunis, four-time champions, lead Group D with Tanzania’s Simba SC, Angola’s Petro de Luanda, and Mali’s Stade Malien. The Blood and Gold, coached by Portuguese Miguel Cardoso’s twin brother Rui, play at the 60,000-capacity Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi. Their opening fixture against Simba on Matchday 1 will see Tunisian ultras light red flares that turn the Mediterranean night crimson.
Simba, the Wekundu wa Msimbazi, boast 60,000 members and a squad built around DRC forward Jean Baleke. Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam will host Petro on Matchday 4 under a roof of noise. Petro de Luanda, backed by Sonangol oil money, feature Brazilian striker Tiago Azulão; their November 11 Stadium in Luanda averages 48,000. Stade Malien, eleven-time Malian champions, rely on captain Yacouba Doumbia; the March 26 Stadium in Bamako will test Esperance’s mettle on Matchday 6.
The Road Ahead: A Calendar Carved in Continental Fire
CAF has crafted a schedule that respects the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, which runs from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Only two matchdays will precede the continental showpiece:
Matchday 1: November 21–23, 2025
Matchday 2: November 28–30, 2025
The competition then freezes, allowing stars like Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, and Victor Osimhen to represent their nations. Action resumes with a January blitz:
Matchday 3: January 23–25, 2026
Matchday 4: January 30–February 1, 2026
Matchday 5: February 6–8, 2026
Matchday 6: February 13–15, 2026
The top two from each group advance to quarter-finals on March 13, 2026. Semi-finals follow in April, with the final a two-legged affair on May 30 and June 6, 2026. The champions will pocket USD 4 million – a 60% jump from 2022 – while runners-up earn USD 2 million. Every group-stage participant receives USD 500,000 just for qualifying, with CAF subsidising travel for preliminary-round clubs at USD 50,000 each.
Behind the Scenes: Pots, Seedings, and the Science of the Draw
Sixteen teams entered Johannesburg seeded by CAF’s five-year ranking. Pot 1 housed continental royalty: Al Ahly (93 points), Mamelodi Sundowns (78), Esperance (71), RS Berkane (65). Pot 2 featured Pyramids (59), Simba (48), Al Hilal (44), Young Africans (41). Pot 3 contained Petro de Luanda (38), AS FAR (35), MC Alger (32), Rivers United (29). Pot 4 held JS Kabylie (26), Stade Malien (23), St Éloi Lupopo (19), Power Dynamos (17).
Alexander Song drew Pot 1 clubs into A1–D1 positions. Christopher Katongo then paired them with Pot 2, ensuring no intra-confederation clashes in early rounds. The algorithm forbade Algerian-Moroccan or Egyptian-Tunisian group mates until Pot 4, creating balanced yet brutal pools. When Rivers United’s ball emerged for Group A, Nigerian journalists in the SuperSport auditorium erupted; Power Dynamos’ delegation, watching via Zoom from Kitwe, pumped fists in delight.
Rivers United: Nigeria’s Lone Torchbearer
For Nigerian football, Rivers United carry a nation’s hopes. No Nigerian side has reached the knockout stage since Enyimba in 2004. Finidi George, speaking post-draw, was defiant: “Pyramids are champions, Berkane are giants, Power are warriors. But Port Harcourt is ready. Our fans will turn the Gowon Stadium into a twelfth man.” The club has already sold 28,000 season tickets – a Nigerian record – and Governor Siminalayi Fubara has pledged floodlight upgrades and chartered flights for away legs.
Pyramids: Defending the Crown
In Cairo, Pyramids chairman Mamdouh Eid addressed 5,000 fans outside the club’s smart village headquarters. “Berkane want revenge? Let them come. We beat them in Doha, we’ll beat them in Cairo, and we’ll lift the trophy again in June.” The club has invested USD 12 million in a new training complex featuring cryotherapy chambers and GPS vests. Pacheco’s staff have studied 400 hours of Berkane footage, identifying left-back Chibi’s overlapping runs as the key to unlocking their press.
RS Berkane: Orange Fury
Berkane’s municipal council declared November 28 – Matchday 2 – a public holiday. Mayor Mohamed Sadiki promised free buses from Oujda and Nador. Ouattara, speaking to Moroccan outlet Le360, vowed: “Pyramids scored one lucky goal. In Berkane, we score three.” The club’s ultras, Orange Boys, have choreographed a tifo spanning the entire east stand: a giant phoenix rising from orange flames.
Power Dynamos: Zambia’s Yellow Storm
In Kitwe, Power Dynamos’ 82-year-old president Happy Munkondya danced the traditional “Kopala Swag” outside Arthur Davies Stadium. “We eliminated Vipers, we can eliminate anyone,” he beamed. Ng’ambi, the 19-year-old sensation, told Zambian Daily Mail: “Rivers United? I watched their Black Bulls game. They fear speed. I will run until their legs beg for mercy.”
Broadcast Reach and Digital Explosion
CAF’s digital platforms recorded 4.2 million live streams during the draw, with #TotalEnergiesCAFCL trending in twelve African countries. beIN Sports will air every match in MENA, Canal+ in Francophone Africa, and SuperSport across sub-Saharan territories. In Nigeria, Startimes has secured exclusive rights, promising 4K broadcasts and pre-match shows hosted by Super Eagles legend Jay-Jay Okocha.
Economic Ripple Effects
The group stage injects over USD 80 million into host economies. Port Harcourt hotels report 90% occupancy for November 22. Cairo’s tourism board expects 15,000 Moroccan fans for the Pyramids-Berkane clash. Zambian Airways has added extra Lusaka-Johannesburg flights. Even Lubumbashi jewelers are crafting commemorative rings for Lupopo’s European scouts.
Tactical Blueprints
Pundits predict Group A will hinge on midfield duels. Pyramids’ double pivot of Mohanad Lasheen and Walid El Karti averages 88% pass accuracy; Berkane counter with Youssef Mehri’s box-to-box surges. Rivers United’s Nwagua, nicknamed “The Professor,” dictates tempo with visionary diagonals. Power’s Ng’ambi thrives in transition – expect end-to-end chaos.
Youth on the Continental Stage
Eighteen-year-old Yanga left-back Ibrahim Bacar, 17-year-old Sundowns playmaker Siyabonga Mabena, and 16-year-old Esperance winger Yanis Hadjem headline CAF’s “NextGen” watchlist. Scouts from Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and PSG have already booked flights to Dar es Salaam, Pretoria, and Tunis.
Weather Watch
November humidity in Port Harcourt (88%) could sap Egyptian legs. January chill in Omdurman (18°C) favours Sudanese stamina. February dust storms in Bamako test Malian lungs. CAF medical teams have distributed 5,000 electrolyte packs.
Refereeing Revolution
VAR arrives in full for the group stage. Ghanaian Daniel Laryea, Algerian Mustapha Ghorbal, and South African Victor Gomes lead a 24-strong elite panel. Pre-match briefings will stream live on CAF’s YouTube channel, a transparency first.
Fan Stories Already Brewing
In Berkane, 72-year-old retiree Fatima Zahra has knitted 200 orange scarves for Rivers United’s travelling fans – a gesture of continental hospitality. In Kitwe, schoolchildren have painted Power Dynamos murals on classroom walls. In Cairo, Pyramids ultras have choreographed a pyramid tifo involving 8,000 cardholders.
The Prize Beyond Money
Beyond the USD 4 million cheque lies FIFA’s Intercontinental Cup in Doha and a guaranteed 2029 Club World Cup berth in the expanded 32-team format. For Rivers United, a quarter-final spot would trigger nationwide celebrations unseen since Nigeria’s 2013 AFCON triumph.
Countdown to Kickoff
Eighteen days remain until November 21. Stadiums are painting fresh lines. Kits are being unveiled – Pyramids in sky-blue shimmer, Berkane in fluorescent orange, Rivers in white with green rivers, Power in yellow lightning bolts. African football holds its breath.
When the whistle blows in Port Harcourt, Cairo, Berkane, and Kitwe, 22 players per match will chase not just three points but immortality. The 2025/26 CAF Champions League is no longer a draw on paper – it is a continent’s heartbeat, pulsing toward June’s golden night.
