Raja Casablanca launch bid for fourth CAF Confederation Cup triumph

Raja Casablanca will compete in the CAF Confederation Cup this season as they attempt to reclaim a place among Africa’s leading clubs.

The Moroccan side have a distinguished record in the competition, having won it three times. Their latest triumph came in 2021, when they defeated JS Kabylie in the final to lift the trophy.

That victory represented Raja Casablanca’s second success under the competition’s current format, following their 2018 title. Their first triumph came in 2003, under the previous version of the tournament.

The upcoming campaign gives Raja an opportunity to return to the top level of African club football after a difficult period. Although they have continued to appear in continental competition, the club have struggled to reproduce the form that once made them a major force across Africa.

Raja Casablanca’s most recent continental appearance came in the 2024-25 season. They finished third in their group, a result that brought their campaign to an end in the first round.

The club now begin another attempt to challenge for the CAF Confederation Cup crown. They have been exempted from the first preliminary round and will enter the competition against the winner of the tie between El Kameni Warriors of Nigeria and UDIB of Guinea-Bissau.

Raja will draw on their history in African club competitions, as well as their status as one of the continent’s most established sides, as they seek a fourth Confederation Cup title.

Their wider continental record includes three CAF Champions League victories, achieved in 1989, 1997 and 1999. Those successes underline the club’s long-standing importance in African football, even though their recent campaigns have not matched the achievements of previous generations.

The 2021 final against JS Kabylie remains the clearest recent reminder of Raja Casablanca’s ability to compete for major continental honours. The new campaign offers them another chance to build on that achievement and restore their position near the summit of African football.

Raja’s return to the CAF Confederation Cup therefore carries significance beyond the fixture itself. The competition is familiar territory for the Moroccan club, which has already lifted its trophy on three occasions. Their route begins after the opening preliminary stage, with the identity of their opponents to be decided by the meeting between El Kameni Warriors and UDIB.

With their past record behind them and another title now the objective, Raja Casablanca will hope their experience can help them progress deep into the tournament and compete for another continental crown.