CAF Confederation Cup
FOR ENYIMBA, NO EASY DRAW IN CAF CONFEDERATION CUP
BY MUYIWA AKINTUNDE
Enyimba have been given what many fans regarded as the easiest pairing in this season’s CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals. But that is only a misconception if the performances of the other three group winners and their pedigree in the continent are taken into consideration.
Unlike Egypt’s Pyramids FC (Group A winners), RS Berkane (Group C winners) and Hassania Agadir (Group D winners), who all qualified straight for the continent’s second tier club competition, Horoya won their domestic league last season and therefore started their continental campaign in the elite CAF Champions League.
Horoya beat Mali’s Stade Malien at the preliminary stage of the Champions League but were unlucky against Algerian side JS Kabylie in the first round, and therefore dropped into the Confederation Cup.
In the just concluded group stage of the Confederation Cup, Horoya produced an unbeaten record, winning four of their six matches and sharing honours in the remaining two to garner 14 points.
They were only bettered on points by debutante Pyramids FC of Egypt, who won five games and lost one to pull 15 points.
Morocco’s pair of RS Berkane and Hassania Agadir topped their respective groups with just 11 points.
Again, the trio of Hassania Agadir, RS Berkane and Pyramids FC, all of whom Enyimba will miss in the quarterfinals, have no record that can match that of Horoya in Africa.
Hassania Agadir’s best performance was quarterfinal exit in this tournament last season, while they crashed out in the second round in 2003 and 2004.
RS Berkane qualified for a continental competition for the first time last season and travelled all the way to the final but were beaten by Zamalek via penalties, while Pyramids FC are having their first experience of continental tournament.
Horoya have been among Africa’s big boys in over four decades and won the then African Cup Winners Cup in 1978, in addition to semifinal showings in the same competition in 1979 and 1983.
In recent years, Horoya were quarterfinalists in the last two editions of the Champions League, in which they have posted nine appearances.
Enyimba have no doubt suffered a dip in form since the early 2000s when they were a force in the continent. Winners of the CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004, the most decorated Nigerian club exited at the group stage in the next two editions but advanced to the semifinal in 2008 and 2011.
When they returned to that competition three years later, Enyimba were stopped in the first round and got eliminated at the group stage in 2016.
The People’s Elephant have not done well in the Confederation Cup. Semifinalists in 2018, their only other showing was a Round of 16 exit in 2010.
Horoya are not new to Nigerian clubs. Among their victims in their 1978 triumph in the African Cup Winners Cup were 1976 winners Shooting Stars, who they eliminated 3-4 aggregate in the first round.
Horoya however got beaten by Leventis United in the 1985 edition of the African Cup Winners Cup on away goal rule. That was after they had been walked over in the first round of the same competition by Rangers the previous year.
Enyimba will host Horoya in the first leg at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba on March 1 with the reverse fixtures a week later.
If they pull through, Enyimba have either Al-Masry SC of Egypt) or Morocco’s RS Berkane to contend with in the last four.
The other quarterfinal pairing in the Confederation Cup are Zanaco FC (Zambia) versus Pyramids FC (Egypt) and Al-Nasr SC (Libya) versus Hassania Agadir (Morocco).
The draw for the Champions League quarterfinals have title holders Espérance being challenged by Zamalek with the Egyptian side hosting the first leg.
Others are: Al-Ahly (Egypt) versus Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Raja Casablanca (Morocco) versus TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) versus Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia).
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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