The quarter-final draws for the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup will take center stage in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, February 20, marking a rare shift from the usual setting at CAF’s headquarters in Cairo.
This year’s event, relocated for marketing purposes, will see African football icons Rabah Madjer of Algeria and Egypt’s Wael Gomaa headline the ceremony.
The highly anticipated draw will kick off at 14:00 GMT with the CAF Confederation Cup pairings, followed by the CAF Champions League draw at 15:00 GMT.
Though initially expected to join the event, Egyptian football legend Mohamed Aboutrika will be absent due to unforeseen circumstances.
Madjer, best remembered for his iconic backheel goal in the 1987 European Cup final, and Gomaa, a three-time CAF Champions League winner with Al-Ahly, will add a touch of history and prestige to the proceedings.
Fierce Contenders Await Their Fate
The Champions League draw promises thrilling matchups as eight of Africa’s top clubs prepare for the knockout stages.
South Africa’s Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, Egypt’s Al-Ahly and Pyramids FC, Tunisia’s ES Tunis, Morocco’s AS FAR, Sudan’s Al-Hilal, and Algeria’s MC Alger will all be hoping for favorable fixtures.
In the Confederation Cup, Egyptian giants Zamalek SC and Al-Masry, Algeria’s CS Constantine and USM Alger, Morocco’s RS Berkane, Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas, Tanzania’s Simba SC, and South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC complete the lineup.
Revised Calendar for the Knockout Rounds
CAF has also announced changes to the knockout stage schedule. The quarter-final first legs, initially slated for March 28-30, will now take place on April 1 and 2. The return legs will follow a week later on April 8 and 9.
Semi-final fixtures are set for April 18 and 19 (first leg) and April 25 and 26 (second leg), while the final will maintain its two-leg format. The first leg is scheduled for May 24, 2025, with the decisive return on June 1, 2025.
The stage is set for an exciting climax to Africa’s premier club competitions, with legends past and present coming together for what promises to be an unforgettable campaign.
