CAF Confederation Cup
NIGERIA’S MOST SUCCESFUL CLUB MANAGER, ANYANSI –AGWU GETS STATE HONOUR
The Government of Abia State in South East Nigeria, has presented the state’s second highest honour to the Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, the Chairman of two –time CAF Champions League winners, Enyimba Football Club of Aba.
Anyansi-Agwu, a ranking member of the Nigeria Football Federation board, is the most successful club football administrator in Nigeria. To his credit, Anyasi-Agwu has dozens of trophies from different competitions since he started managing Enyimba 20 years ago.
He is perhaps the longest serving football club administrator in Nigeria having worked under three Abia State’s administrations.
The Award was presented to the one –time Vice Chairman of then Nigeria Football Association by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu during the 27th anniversary of the creation of Abia State at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia on Monday, 27th August 2018.
Under him, Enyimba became the first and the only winning club of the continent’s elite club competition, the CAF Champions League.
It was a feat he achieved in 2003. Before the Enyimba victory, 15 Nigerian clubs in 39 years had struggled in vain.
In 2004, Enyimba became the first club in 36 years to win the continent title back-to-back.
At the moment, Enyimba FC is Nigeria’s only remaining club in continental competition this year, and apart from its several other feats, has won the Nigeria top division title seven times, including a hat-trick on the trot between 2001 and 2003, and took the Federation Cup title in 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2014.
A last –gasp winner over visiting CARA Brazzaville of Congo at the newly –renovated Enyimba International Stadium on Wednesday took Enyimba to the quarter finals of this year’s CAF Confederation Cup as group winners, and they await their last eight opponents at the draw scheduled for the CAF headquarters in Cairo on Monday.
A proven achiever and excellent leader of men, Anyansi-Agwu, who holds a degree in business management from the Abia State University, Uturu has also personally won a bagful of awards, including Manager of the Year at the African Football Awards in 2004 and 2005 and the AIT/MTN Nigeria Club Administrator of the Year gong in 2010.
“I am grateful to God Almighty for the award and I want to say a big thank you to the Government of Abia State, particularly Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for this recognition. I am committed to doing my very best for the upliftment of Enyimba FC, football in Abia State and Nigerian Football in general,” Anyansi-Agwu told thenff.com
A high-stakes Moroccan derby between Olympique de Safi and Wydad Casablanca will headline the quarter-final stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, following Tuesday’s draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), mapped out the path to the final for the eight remaining contenders, setting up intriguing North African and Central African showdowns.
All-Moroccan Clash Guarantees Semi-Final Spot
Olympique de Safi will host Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of their tie, ensuring that Morocco will have at least one representative in the semi-finals. The clash pits two sides familiar with each other domestically, adding extra intensity to what is already a decisive knockout encounter.
Egyptian and Algerian Heavyweights in Action
Egyptian giants Zamalek SC will begin their campaign away to Congo’s AS Otoho, a tie that sees the five-time African champions seeking another continental crown.
Meanwhile, Al Masry SC will host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the first leg, in what promises to be a tightly contested North Africa battle.
In another compelling fixture, AS Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo will take on Algeria’s USM Alger, as the Congolese side looks to capitalise on home advantage in the opening leg.
Quarter-Final Fixtures
- QF1: Al Masry (Egypt) vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
- QF2: Olympique de Safi (Morocco) vs Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
- QF3: AS Otoho (Congo) vs Zamalek SC (Egypt)
- QF4: AS Maniema Union (DR Congo) vs USM Alger (Algeria)
The quarter-final first legs are scheduled for 15 March, with return fixtures set for 22 March.
Semi-Final Pathway Confirmed
The draw also determined the semi-final bracket:
- SF1: Winner of AS Maniema Union vs USM Alger will host the first leg against the winner of Olympique de Safi vs Wydad Casablanca.
- SF2: Winner of Al Masry vs CR Belouizdad will host the first leg against the winner of AS Otoho vs Zamalek SC.
The semi-finals will be played on 12 April (first leg) and 19 April (second leg).
The team advancing from the semi-finals will host the first leg of the final on 9 May, with the decisive second leg scheduled for 16 May.
With regional rivalries, heavyweight pedigrees, and emerging contenders all in the mix, the knockout stage of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup promises high drama as clubs across North and Central Africa vie for continental glory.
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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will conduct the quarter-final draws for the 2025/26 editions of its two flagship interclub competitions — the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup — on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo.
The CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final draw is scheduled to begin at 13:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the CAF Champions League quarter-final draw at 14:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT).
The ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube platform, CAF TV, allowing fans across the continent and beyond to follow proceedings in real time.
Road to the Finals Takes Shape
The draws will determine not only the quarter-final pairings but also the pathway to the finals in both competitions, effectively mapping out the remaining knockout journey for Africa’s elite clubs.
With the group stages concluded, the quarter-finals mark the beginning of direct elimination football — a phase traditionally defined by tactical discipline, squad depth and mental resilience. Clubs will be keenly watching the draw to gauge potential heavyweight clashes or favourable routes to the semi-finals.
In the Champions League, former title holders and emerging contenders alike will be hoping to avoid early confrontations against continental heavyweights. Similarly, in the Confederation Cup, where competitive balance has grown in recent seasons, the draw could produce intriguing North-South or West-East showdowns.
Strategic Importance for Clubs
Beyond sporting prestige, progression to the latter stages of CAF competitions carries significant financial incentives, enhanced continental ranking points and increased global visibility. With African club football enjoying expanded broadcast reach and commercial partnerships, success in these tournaments has become both a sporting and economic objective.
Hosting the draws at the Egyptian FA headquarters in Cairo reinforces the city’s status as a nerve centre of African football administration, as clubs await clarity on their next assignments in what promises to be a decisive knockout phase of the 2025/26 campaign.
All eyes will now turn to Cairo as Africa’s road to continental glory becomes clearer.
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CAF Confederation Cup
Zamalek, Kaizer Chiefs Drawn Together as CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage Unveiled
The draw for the group phase of this season’s African Confederation Cup conducted in Johannesburg on Monday:
Group A: USM Alger (Algeria), Djoliba (Mali), Olympique Safi (Morocco), San Pedro (Ivory Coast)
Group B: Azam (Tanzania), Maniema Union (DR Congo), Nairobi United (Kenya), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
Group C: Chabab Belouizdad (Algeria), AS Otoho (Congo) Singida Black Stars (Tanzania), Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Group D: Al Masry (Egypt), Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa), Zamalek (Egypt), Zesco United (Zambia)
The top two finishers in each of the four groups advance to the quarter-finals in March.
The group phase starts on Sunday November 23 and will continue through to mid-February.
-Reuters
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