MC Alger face Zamalek test as Berkane and Esperance Tunis draw long Champions League trips

The MC Alger have been handed a difficult group in the 2026-2027 CAF Champions League, while RS Berkane and Esperance Tunis face demanding travel schedules after Wednesday’s draw.

The group stage begins on 27 November and is unusually open after defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns were eliminated in the second preliminary round. Last season’s runners-up AS FAR and five-time winners Al Ahly are competing in the CAF Confederation Cup instead.

That leaves RS Berkane and Esperance Tunis, both semi-finalists last season, among the leading contenders.

Long journeys for Berkane and Esperance

RS Berkane are in Group C alongside Simba SC, Orlando Pirates and Colombe Sportive. The Moroccan side will travel approximately 24,000km for matches in Tanzania, South Africa and Cameroon.

Berkane, semi-finalists last season, reached the group stage by beating Sierra Leone’s Star Sport Academy 3-0 on aggregate and will start as the group’s leading candidate.

Simba finished fourth in their group last season but secured an emphatic 9-1 aggregate victory over 15 de Agosto in this year’s preliminary rounds. Orlando Pirates failed to reach the group stage last season but have improved under Abdeslam Ouaddou, who guided them to the domestic title and will make a notable return to Morocco.

Cameroon’s Colombe Sportive complete the group after eliminating Senegal’s Teungueth FC 3-0 on aggregate.

Esperance Tunis face around 18,000km of travel in Group A, including two trips to Angola to play Petro Atletico and Wiliete SC. FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania complete the section.

The Tunisian club, featuring Youcef Belaili, needed penalties to overcome Swehly SC after losing the first leg 1-0. Petro Atletico recovered from a two-goal deficit against Scottland FC to win 3-2 on aggregate.

Wiliete SC produced one of the preliminary rounds’ biggest shocks by eliminating holders Mamelodi Sundowns after two draws, 0-0 and 1-1. Their star is Mabululu. FC Nouadhibou also showed resilience, overturning FC San Pedro of Ivory Coast 3-2 on aggregate.

Tough assignment for MC Alger

MC Alger reached the competition’s group stage after a dramatic comeback against Nigeria’s Rangers International but were placed in Group B with Zamalek, five-time winners and last season’s CAF Confederation Cup finalists, where they lost on penalties to USM Alger.

Young Africans will renew a rivalry with MC Alger. The Tanzanian club finished one point behind them in 2024-2025 and ended last season above JSK, including a 3-0 victory. Club Africain complete the group after eliminating TP Mazembe in the second preliminary round and will face MC Alger in a derby.

In Group D, Moroccan champions MAS de Fes meet Pyramids FC, Al Hilal Omdurman and Horoya AC. MAS de Fes edged ASEC Mimosas 3-2 on aggregate.

Pyramids FC, champions in 2025, beat El Merriekh Bentiu 5-0 on aggregate. Al Hilal Omdurman, last season’s quarter-finalists, defeated Sidama Bunna 4-0 overall, while regular group-stage participants Horoya AC complete a closely contested section behind Pyramids.