2021–22 CAF Champions League

The 2021–22 CAF Champions League (officially the 2021–22 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons)[1] will be the 58th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 26th edition under the current CAF Champions League title.

2021–22 CAF Champions League
2021–22 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
10 September – 24 October 2021
Competition proper:
11 February – 29 May 2022
TeamsCompetition proper: 16
Total: 54 (from 42 associations)

The winners of the 2021–22 CAF Champions League will qualify and earn the right to play against the winners of the 2021–22 CAF Confederation Cup in the 2022–23 CAF Super Cup.[2]

Al Ahly are the defending champions having defeated Kaizer Chiefs on finals.

Association team allocation

All 56 CAF member associations may enter the CAF Champions League, with the 12 highest ranked associations according to their CAF 5-Year Ranking eligible to enter two teams in the competition.[2] As a result, theoretically a maximum of 68 teams could enter the tournament – although this level has never been reached.

For the 2020–21 CAF Champions League, the CAF uses the 2016–2020 CAF 5-Year Ranking, which calculates points for each entrant association based on their clubs’ performance over those 5 years in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. The criteria for points are the following:[3][4][5]

CAF Champions League CAF Confederation Cup
Winners 6 points 5 points
Runners-up 5 points 4 points
Losing semi-finalists 4 points 3 points
Losing quarter-finalists (from 2017) 3 points 2 points
3rd place in groups 2 points 1 point
4th place in groups 1 point 0.5 point

The points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follows:

  • 2020–21: x 5
  • 2019–20: × 4
  • 2018–19: × 3
  • 2018: × 2
  • 2017: × 1

Teams

The following 54 teams from 42 associations entered the competition.

Associations are shown according to their 2017–2021 CAF 5-Year Ranking – those with a ranking score have their rank and score (in parentheses) indicated.

Associations eligible to enter two teams (Top 12 associations)
Association Rank (Pts) Team Qualifying method
 Morocco 1 (183) Wydad Casablanca 2020–21 Botola champions
Raja Casablanca 2020–21 Botola runners-up
 Egypt 2 (173.5) Zamalek 2020–21 Egyptian Premier League first place after 29 rounds[Note EGY]
Al Ahly Title holders (2020–21 CAF Champions League winners)
2020–21 Egyptian Premier League second place after 29 rounds[Note EGY]
 Tunisia 3 (131) Espérance de Tunis 2020–21 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champions
Étoile du Sahel 2020–21 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runners-up
 Algeria 4 (109) CR Belouizdad 2020–21 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 first place after 35 rounds[Note ALG]
ES Sétif 2020–21 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 second place after 35 rounds[Note ALG]
 South Africa 5 (93.5) Mamelodi Sundowns 2020–21 South African Premier Division champions
AmaZulu 2020–21 South African Premier Division runners-up
 DR Congo 6 (75) TP Mazembe 2020–21 Linafoot champions
AS Maniema Union 2020–21 Linafoot runners-up
 Guinea 7 (38) Horoya AC 2020–21 Guinée Championnat National champions
CI Kamsar 2020–21 Guinée Championnat National runners-up
 Nigeria 8 (37.5) Akwa United 2020–21 Nigeria Professional Football League champions
Rivers United 2020–21 Nigeria Professional Football League runners-up
 Zambia 9 (35) ZESCO United 2020–21 Zambian Super League champions
Zanaco 2020–21 Zambian Super League runners-up
 Angola 10 (31.5) Sagrada Esperança 2020–21 Girabola champions
Petro de Luanda 2020–21 Girabola runners-up
 Sudan 11 (30) Al Hilal 2020–21 Sudan Premier League champions
Al Merrikh 2020–21 Sudan Premier League runners-up
 Tanzania 12 (27.5) Simba 2020–21 Tanzanian Premier League champions
Young Africans 2021–21 Tanzanian Premier League runners-up
Associations eligible to enter one team
Association Rank (Pts) Team Qualifying method
 Cameroon 13 (16) Fovu de Baham 2020–21 Elite One first place by 8 August 2021[Note CMR]
 Senegal 14 (15) Teungueth 2020–21 Senegal Premier League champions
 Libya 15 (13.5) Al Ittihad 2020–21 Libyan Premier League champions
 Ivory Coast 16 (9) ASEC Mimosas 2020–21 Côte d'Ivoire Ligue 1 champions
 Kenya 17 (8) Tusker 2020–21 FKF Premier League first place by 30 June 2021[Note KEN]
 Zimbabwe 17 (8) FC Platinum 2020 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League champions
 Congo 19 (5.5) AS Otohô 2021 Congo Ligue 1 champions
 Mali 20 (5) Stade Malien 2020–21 Malian Première Division champions
 Mozambique 20 (5) UD Songo 2019 Moçambola runners-up[Note MOZ]
 Uganda 20 (5) Express 2020–21 Uganda Premier League champions
 Burkina Faso 23 (4) AS SONABEL 2020–21 Burkinabé Premier League champions
 Ghana 23 (4) Hearts of Oak 2020–21 Ghana Premier League champions
 Rwanda 23 (4) APR 2020–21 Rwanda Premier League champions
 Eswatini 26 (3) Royal Leopards 2020–21 Eswatini Premier League champions
 Benin 27 (2) ESAE 2020–21 Benin Premier League champions
 Botswana 27 (2) Jwaneng Galaxy 2019–20 Botswana Premier League champions[Note BOT]
 Ethiopia 27 (2) Fasil Kenema 2020–21 Ethiopian Premier League champions
 Mauritania 27 (2) FC Nouadhibou 2020–21 Ligue 1 Mauritania champions
 Togo 27 (2) ASKO Kara 2020–21 Togolese Championnat National champions
 Gabon 32 (0.5) AS Bouenguidi 2020–21 Gabon Championnat National D1 champions
 Burundi — Le Messager Ngozi 2020–21 Burundi Premier League champions
 Central African Republic — DFC 8ème 2020–21 Central African Republic League champions
 Djibouti — Arta/Solar7 2020–21 Djibouti Premier League champions
 Equatorial Guinea — Akonangui 2020–21 Equatoguinean Primera División champions
 Gambia — Fortune FC 2020–21 GFA League First Division champions
 Liberia — LPRC Oilers 2020–21 Liberian First Division League champions
 Malawi — Nyasa Big Bullets 2020–21 Super League of Malawi first place by 1 August 2021[Note MWI]
 Niger — USGN 2020–21 Niger Premier League champions
 Somalia — Mogadishu City 2020–21 Somali First Division champions
 Zanzibar — KMKM 2020–21 Zanzibar Premier League champions
Associations which did not enter a team
Notes
  1. ^
    Algeria (ALG): The 2020–21 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 was not finished by the CAF deadline. As a result, the Algerian Football Federation announced that CR Belouizdad and ES Sétif, who were at first and second place after 35 rounds respectively, will represent Algeria in the 2021–22 CAF Champions League.[6]
  2. ^
    Botswana (BOT): The 2020–21 Botswana Premier League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana. As a result, the Botswana Football Association announced that Jwaneng Galaxy, who were champions of the 2019–20 Botswana Premier League, will represent Botswana in the 2021–22 CAF Champions League.
  3. ^
    Cameroon (CMR): The 2020–21 Elite One was not finished by the CAF deadline. As a result, the Cameroonian Football Federation announced that Fovu de Baham, who were at first place by 8 August 2021, will represent Cameroon in the 2021–22 CAF Champions League.[7]
  4. ^
    Egypt (EGY): The 2020–21 Egyptian Premier League was not finished by the CAF deadline. As a result, the Egyptian Football Association announced that Zamalek and Al Ahly, who were at first and second place after 29 rounds respectively, will represent Egypt in the 2021–22 CAF Champions League.[8]
  5. ^
    Kenya (KEN): The 2020–21 FKF Premier League was not finished by the CAF deadline. As a result, the Football Kenya Federation announced that Tusker, who were at first place by 30 June 2021, will represent Kenya in the 2021–22 CAF Champions League.[9]
  6. ^
    Malawi (MWI): The 2020–21 Super League of Malawi was not finished by the CAF deadline. As a result, the Football Association of Malawi announced that Nyasa Big Bullets, who were at first place by 1 August 2021, will represent Malawi in the 2021–22 CAF Champions League.
  7. ^
    Mozambique (MOZ): The 2020 Moçambola was not finished by the CAF deadline. As a result, the Mozambican Football Federation announced that UD Songo, who finished as the runners-up in the 2019 Moçambola, will represent Mozambique in the 2021–22 CAF Champions League.

Schedule
Schedule for 2021–22 CAF Champions League
Phase Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Qualifying First round 13 August 2021 10–12 September 2021 17–19 September 2021
Second round 15–17 October 2021 22–24 October 2021
Group stage Matchday 1 28 December 2021 11–12 February 2022
Matchday 2 18–19 February 2022
Matchday 3 25–26 February 2022
Matchday 4 11–12 March 2022
Matchday 5 18–19 March 2022
Matchday 6 1–2 April 2022
Knockout stage Quarter-finals April 2022 15–16 April 2022 20–21 April 2022
Semi-finals 6–7 May 2022 13–14 May 2022
Final 29 May 2022

Qualifying rounds
Main article: 2021–22 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds

The draw for the qualifying rounds was held on 13 August 2021 at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.[10][11][12] In the qualifying rounds, each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score is tied after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still tied, extra time won't be played, and the penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner (Regulations III. 13 & 14).[2]

First round
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
CI Kamsar 0–2[upper-alpha 1] Hearts of Oak
LPRC Oilers 4–2 ASKO Kara 3–0 1–2
AS SONABEL 0–4 Stade Malien 0–1 0–3
USGN 2–1 Le Messager Ngozi 1–1 1–0
KMKM 0–4 Al Ittihad 0–2 0–2
Arta/Solar7 1–4 Tusker 1–1 0–3
Mogadishu City 1–2 APR 0–0 1–2
AS Bouenguidi 1–3 AS Maniema Union 1–1 0–2
AmaZulu 3–2 Nyasa Big Bullets 0–1 3–1
Jwaneng Galaxy 2–1 DFC 8ème 2–0 0–1
Young Africans 0–2 Rivers United 0–1 0–1
Fasil Kenema 3–3 (a) Al Hilal 2–2 1–1
Teungueth 0–2 ASEC Mimosas 0–1 0–1
Akwa United 1–2 CR Belouizdad 1–0 0–2
UD Songo 1–1 (3–4 p) AS Otohô 1–0 0–1
Fovu de Baham 2–2 (a) Petro de Luanda 2–2 0–0
ESAE 1–3 FC Nouadhibou 1–1 0–2
Fortune FC 3–3 (4–5 p) ES Sétif 3–0 0–3
Sagrada Esperança 0–0 (5–4 p) FC Platinum 0–0 0–0
Royal Leopards 2–2 (a) ZESCO United 1–0 1–2
Express 2–2 (a) Al Merrikh 2–1 0–1
Akonangui 0–3 Zanaco 0–2 0–1

Notes:

  1. The match involving Guinean clubs were played over a single leg, and not in the Guinean territory due to the political and security situation in Guinea following the 2021 Guinean coup d'état.[13]

Second round

The 16 winners of the first round advanced to the group stage, while the 16 losers of the first round entered the Confederation Cup play-off round.

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Hearts of Oak 2–6 Wydad Casablanca 1–0 1–6
LPRC Oilers 0–4 Raja Casablanca 0–2 0–2
Stade Malien 1–3 Horoya 0–1 1–2
USGN 2–7 Al Ahly 1–1 1–6
Al Ittihad 0–1 Espérance de Tunis 0–0 0–1
Tusker 0–5 Zamalek 0–1 0–4
APR 1–5 Étoile du Sahel 1–1 0–4
AS Maniema Union 2–4 Mamelodi Sundowns 2–2 0–2
AmaZulu 1–1 (a) TP Mazembe 0–0 1–1
Jwaneng Galaxy 3–3 (a) Simba 0–2 3–1
Rivers United 1–2 Al Hilal 1–1 0–1
ASEC Mimosas 3–3 (a) CR Belouizdad 3–1 0–2
AS Otohô 2–4 Petro de Luanda 2–2 0–2
FC Nouadhibou 3–3 (a) ES Sétif 3–1 0–2
Sagrada Esperança 3–2 Royal Leopards 3–1 0–1
Al Merrikh 4–2 Zanaco 3–0 1–2

Group stage
Main article: 2021–22 CAF Champions League group stage

The group stage draw is expected to be held in 28 December 2021 at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

Pot 1
Team Pts
Al Ahly 78
Espérance de Tunis 65
Wydad Casablanca 63
Raja Casablanca 54
Pot 2
Team Pts
Zamalek 47
Mamelodi Sundowns 46
Horoya 38
Étoile du Sahel 36
Pot 3
Team Pts
Al Hilal 21
CR Belouizdad 15
Petro de Luanda 14.5
ES Sétif 13
Pot 4
Team Pts
Al Merrikh 7
Sagrada Esperança -
Jwaneng Galaxy -
AmaZulu -


In the group stage, each group will be played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group will advance to the quarter-finals of the knockout stage.

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification A1 A2 A3 A4
1 A1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage — 25–26 Feb 1–2 Apr 11–12 Feb
2 A2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11–12 Mar — 11–12 Feb 1–2 Apr
3 A3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Feb 18–19 Mar — 11–12 Mar
4 A4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Mar 18–19 Feb 25–26 Feb —
First match(es) will be played on 11/12 February 2022. Source: CAF

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification B1 B2 B3 B4
1 B1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage — 25–26 Feb 1–2 Apr 11–12 Feb
2 B2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11–12 Mar — 11–12 Feb 1–2 Apr
3 B3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Feb 18–19 Mar — 11–12 Mar
4 B4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Mar 18–19 Feb 25–26 Feb —
First match(es) will be played on 11/12 February 2022. Source: CAF

Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification C1 C2 C3 C4
1 C1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage — 25–26 Feb 1–2 Apr 11–12 Feb
2 C2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11–12 Mar — 11–12 Feb 1–2 Apr
3 C3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Feb 18–19 Mar — 11–12 Mar
4 C4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Mar 18–19 Feb 25–26 Feb —
First match(es) will be played on 11/12 February 2022. Source: CAF

Group D
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification D1 D2 D3 D4
1 D1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage — 25–26 Feb 1–2 Apr 11–12 Feb
2 D2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11–12 Mar — 11–12 Feb 1–2 Apr
3 D3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Feb 18–19 Mar — 11–12 Mar
4 D4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18–19 Mar 18–19 Feb 25–26 Feb —
First match(es) will be played on 11/12 February 2022. Source: CAF

See also

References
  1. "Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football". CAF. 21 July 2016.
  2. "CAF Champions League regulations" (PDF). CAF.
  3. "16 Clubs for Group Phase of CC and CL effective 2017". CAF. 11 May 2016.
  4. "New adopted format for Club Competitions". CAF. 30 May 2016.
  5. "CAF disowns club ranking published by some websites". Cafonline.com. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  6. "اتحاد كرة القدم الجزائري يحدد الأندية المشاركة بدوري أبطال إفريقيا والكونفيدرالية" [AFF decides participating teams in next season's African competitions]. Al Ahram (in Arabic). 29 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  7. "Coupes Africaines : Coton sport et Fovu de Baham pour représenter le Cameroun" [African cups: Coton Sport and Fove de Baham set to represent Cameroon]. Africa Foot United (in French). 12 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  8. @EFA (10 August 2021). "اتحاد الكرة يرسل أسماء الأندية المصرية المشاركة في بطولتي أفريقيا" [EFA sends names of Egyptian clubs participating in the Champions League and Confederation Cup next season to CAF] (Tweet) (in Arabic) – via Twitter.
  9. "Be on top by June 30, qualify for CAF Champions League - FKF". The Standard. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  10. "Road to TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Group Stage mapped out". CAF. 13 August 2021.
  11. "CL Fixtures (1) - First Round of Preliminaries" (PDF). CAF. 13 August 2021.
  12. "CL Fixtures (2) - 2nd Round of Preliminaries" (PDF). CAF. 13 August 2021.
  13. "Statement on CAF interclubs preliminary fixtures: Guinea Clubs". CAF Online. CAF. 8 September 2021.
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