CAIRO – The 2025–2026 CAF group stage draw in Johannesburg set the stage for some thrilling clashes, with Egypt’s heavyweights in the spotlight. Al-Ahly and Pyramids FC are braced for high-stakes battles in the Champions League, while Zamalek and Al-Masry renew their fiery rivalry in Confederation Cup Group D after being drawn together once again.
CAF Champions League
Egyptian giants Al-Ahly and Pyramids FC are bracing for tough challenging paths in the 2025–2026 CAF Champions League group stage.
Record 12-time African champions Al-Ahly has been drawn in Group B alongside Algeria’s JS Kabylie, Morocco’s Royal Army Club, and Tanzania’s Young Africans, setting up a string of fiery North African derbies and intense continental showdowns.
Defending CAF Champions League title holders Pyramids FC headline Group A, where they will face Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane, Nigeria’s Rivers United, and Zambia’s Power Dynamos. The Cairo-based side will be eager to build on last season’s historic triumph — which included their African Super Cup victory over Berkane.
The group stage kicks off on November 23 and runs through February 15, 2026. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, set for March 15–22, followed by the semi-finals from April 12–19, leading up to the two-legged final on May 16 and 23.
The 16-team field was finalised after Morocco’s RS Berkane sealed qualification with a victory over Libya’s Al-Ahli Tripoli, ensuring a fiercely competitive and balanced group stage across the continent.
CAF Confederation Cup
Egyptian heavyweights Zamalek and Al-Masry of Port Said will renew their rivalry in Group D after being drawn together once again, setting up a repeat of last season’s thrilling CAF Confederation showdown that saw Zamalek top the group and Al-Masry advance as runners-up.
Joining the Egyptian duo are South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs and Zambia’s ZESCO United, promising a fiercely contested battle for qualification.
Zamalek stormed into the group stage with a commanding 7-0 aggregate victory over Somali side Dekedaha, while Al-Masry, guided by Tunisian coach Nabil Kouki, booked their place with a hard-fought 2-1 aggregate triumph against Libya’s Al-Ittihad.
The group stage will run from November 23 to February 15, 2026, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the quarter-finals scheduled for March 15–22, followed by the semi-finals from April 12–19, and the two-legged final set for May 16 and 23.
CAF Champions League Groups
Group A: Nahdat Berkane, Pyramids FC, Rivers United, Power Dynamos
Group B: Al-Ahly, Young Africans, Royal Army, JS Kabylie
Group C: Mamelodi Sundowns, Al-Hilal, Mouloudia Algiers, Saint Lupopo
Group D: Esperance, Simba, Petro Atletico, Stade Malien
CAF Confederation Cup Groups
Group A: USM Alger, Djoliba, Olympic Safi, San Pedro
Group B: Wydad Casablanca, Maniema, Azam, Nairobi United
Group C: CR Belouizdad, Stellenbosch, AS Otoho, Singida Black Stars
Group D: Zamalek, Al-Masry, Kaizer Chiefs, ZESCO United
