The draw for the 2024-25 CAF Champions League season took place on Monday at the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, with past and present African football stars like Naby Keita, Ahmed Fathy, Florent Ibenge, and Siphiwe Tshabalala, helping with the event.
The 16 participating clubs were were drawn into four groups of four each. Before the draw, the teams were allocated to four pots of four teams each, according to a ranking created on their past record on the continental stage as well as on the total points garnered in the past five seasons.
Defending champions Al Ahly were drawn in a tough Group C where they will face South African side Orlando Pirates as the 12-time winners aim for a historic third consecutive CAF Champions League title.
The Egyptian side, who recently lost in the CAF Super Cup final to rivals Zamalek, will also slug it out against CR Belouizdad of Algeria and Ivorian club Stade d’Abidjan in the group.
Elsewhere, Mamelodi Sundowns, semi-finalists in the last two editions, will compete in Group B alongside Moroccan powerhouses Raja Casablanca and AS FAR, as well as Maniema Union from DR Congo.
In Group A, Young Africans of Tanzania, who reached the quarter-finals last season, are in for a tough battle against five-time champions TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Al-Hilal Omdurman (Sudan), and Mouloudia Alger (Algeria).
Finally, Group D features Esperance (Tunisia), Pyramids (Egypt), Sagrada Esperanca (Angola), and Djoliba (Mali).
2024/25 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL Group Stage Draw: ☑️ pic.twitter.com/NDkfHZ1I8F
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 7, 2024
The group stage matches are set to take place from November 26-27, 2024 through January 17-18, 2025, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
CAF Champions League Full Group Stage Draw
GROUP A: TP Mazembe (RDC), Young Africans SC (TAN), Al Hilal (SUD) ,MC Alger (ALG)
GROUP B: Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Raja CA (MAR), AS FAR (MAR) Maniema Union (RDC)
GROUP C: Al Ahly SC (EGY), CR Belouizdad (ALG), Orlando Pirates (RSA) ,Stade D ‘Abidjan (CIV)
GROUP D: ES Tunis (TUN), Pyramids FC (EGY) ,GD Segrada Esperanca (ANG), Djoliba AC (MLI)
The 2024/25 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL group stage fixtures are decided. 🔥
Which team are you backing to go through? 👀 pic.twitter.com/F2tAjK6dVR
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 7, 2024
Full CAF Champions League Group Stages Fixtures Dates
- Match Day 1: November 26-27, 2024
- Match Day 2: December 6-8, 2024
- Match Day 3: December 13-15, 2024
- Match Day 4: January 3-5, 2025
- Match Day 5: January 10-12, 2025
- Match Day 6: January 17-19, 2025
