Al Ahly seek continental response in CAF Confederation Cup after historic setback

The opening preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup takes place this weekend, with Al Ahly beginning a campaign in Africa’s second-tier club competition for the first time since 2004.

The Cairo club, the record holders for CAF Champions League titles, have represented Egypt in the continent’s premier competition for 22 consecutive seasons. However, a difficult 2025-26 campaign ended that remarkable run, with Al Ahly finishing third in the domestic championship and missing out on qualification for the CAF Champions League.

The absence marks a significant change for one of Africa’s most successful clubs. During the 22-season period in which Al Ahly consistently appeared in the Champions League, they won nine of their 12 African titles.

Their rivals Zamalek and Pyramids will instead carry Egypt’s challenge in the CAF Champions League this season. Al Ahly must now pursue success in the CAF Confederation Cup, a competition they will enter at the second preliminary round.

Al Ahly have been exempted from the first preliminary round because of their status. Their opening tie will be against the winner of the two-legged meeting between Mogadishu City Club of Somalia and Kitara FC of Uganda.

The change in competition follows a season that proved particularly disappointing for the Cairo side. For more than two decades, Al Ahly had been the leading Egyptian presence on the continent’s biggest club stage. Their failure to finish high enough in the league has therefore brought an unfamiliar challenge, as they seek to rebuild their relationship with supporters through a different route to continental success.

The club’s participation in the CAF Confederation Cup is expected to give the team an opportunity to reconnect with its public after the disappointment of the previous season. Rather than preparing for another CAF Champions League campaign, Al Ahly will now attempt to make an impact in the continent’s second inter-club competition.

For the Cairo “red” club, that “deception” must become a source of motivation. The main objective will be to win another continental title and restore some pride after a season that prevented them from extending their long-standing Champions League sequence.

Al Ahly’s record in African competition gives the club a clear target. Although their route will begin in the CAF Confederation Cup, the ambition remains centred on adding to their collection of 12 continental honours. Their entry in the second preliminary round means they will have to wait before discovering their first opponents, with Mogadishu City Club and Kitara FC competing for the right to face them.

The first preliminary-round fixtures this weekend will launch the wider CAF Confederation Cup campaign, while Al Ahly prepare to begin their own continental journey at the next stage.