CAF Champions League: Al Hilal, Pyramids clash headlines group-stage draw

The 2026/27 CAF Champions League group-stage draw has produced several challenging matchups, with MC Alger facing former African champions Zamalek, while Morocco’s RS Berkane and Tunisia’s Esperance Tunis face demanding continental campaigns.

The draw was conducted in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, October 28, setting up four groups of four teams ahead of the competition’s group stage, scheduled to begin in late November.

According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the top two teams in each group will advance to the quarter-finals, keeping the race for Africa’s most prestigious club trophy wide open.

Algerian champions MC Alger have been drawn alongside Egypt’s Zamalek SC, Tanzania’s Young Africans and Tunisia’s Club Africain in Group B.

Zamalek, five-time African champions, will provide a major test for MC Alger, who secured qualification through a remarkable comeback against Nigeria’s Rangers International.

After losing the first leg 2-0, the Algerian side scored three unanswered goals in the return fixture to advance 3-2 on aggregate.

Young Africans also bring considerable continental experience, having reached the CAF Confederation Cup final in 2022/23 and made consistent progress in recent Champions League campaigns.

Club Africain, meanwhile, strengthened their credentials by eliminating DR Congo’s TP Mazembe, winning 2-1 on aggregate to return to the group stage for the first time since 2018/19.

RS Berkane have been placed in Group C alongside Tanzania’s Simba SC, South Africa’s Orlando Pirates and Cameroon’s Colombe Sportive.

The Moroccan side qualified comfortably, defeating Sierra Leone’s Star Sport Academy 3-0 on aggregate.

However, their opponents present different challenges, with Simba and Orlando Pirates bringing experience from previous continental campaigns and Colombe arriving after an impressive 3-0 aggregate victory over Senegal’s Teungueth FC.

Travel across Tanzania, South Africa and Cameroon could also test Berkane’s squad management during the group stage.

Four-time African champions Esperance Tunis headline Group A, where they will meet Angola’s Petro Atletico and Wiliete SC, alongside Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou.

Esperance survived a difficult qualifying tie against Libya’s Swehly SC, overturning a first-leg defeat before securing progression on penalties.

Their experience will be crucial against Petro Atletico, who recovered from a two-goal deficit to eliminate Zimbabwe’s Scottland FC.

Wiliete will be one of the teams to watch after stunning defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns to secure a historic group-stage debut.

FC Nouadhibou also demonstrated resilience by overturning their deficit against Côte d’Ivoire’s FC San Pedro.

Morocco’s MAS de Fès face Pyramids FC of Egypt, Sudan’s Al Hilal Omdurman and Guinea’s Horoya AC in Group D.

Pyramids, continental champions in 2025, will be among the leading contenders, while Al Hilal arrive after reaching last season’s quarter-finals.

Horoya’s experience adds further competition to a group in which qualification could remain undecided until the final round.

With the defending champions already eliminated, the 2026/27 campaign offers a fresh opportunity for Africa’s leading clubs to claim the crown.

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