Al Ahly have been confirmed as the leading club in Africa, topping the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) official rankings released on Friday, 8 August.
The Egyptian giants, who have long been a dominant force on the continent, secured first place with 78 points, reflecting their consistent success in both domestic and continental competitions.
South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns took second spot with 62 points, while Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis completed the top three on 57 points.
The updated rankings arrive on the eve of the preliminary draw for both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, scheduled for Saturday.
These rankings play a key role in determining seedings for the competitions, giving higher-ranked clubs potential advantages in avoiding other top teams during early rounds.
Pyramids break into the elite
Egyptian side Pyramids FC, last season’s CAF Champions League winners, secured a place in the top 10 for the first time, ranking sixth with 47 points.
The club’s rise is seen as a sign of the shifting balance of power in African football, with more teams breaking into the upper tier traditionally dominated by a handful of historic names.
Morocco also enjoys strong representation, with RS Berkane in fourth place on 52 points and Wydad Casablanca eighth on 39 points. Algeria’s USM Alger and CR Belouizdad occupy ninth and tenth place respectively, underlining North Africa’s continued strength in the continental game.
East Africa in the mix
Simba SC of Tanzania, ranked fifth with 48 points, remain East Africa’s highest-placed club. Their consistent performances in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup have kept them among the continent’s elite, reflecting the growing competitiveness of football beyond North and Southern Africa.
Full CAF Top 10 rankings:
- Al Ahly (Egypt) – 78 points
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) – 62 points
- Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia) – 57 points
- RS Berkane (Morocco) – 52 points
- Simba SC (Tanzania) – 48 points
- Pyramids FC (Egypt) – 47 points
- Zamalek (Egypt) – 42 points
- Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) – 39 points
- USM Alger (Algeria) – 37 points
- CR Belouizdad (Algeria) – 36 points
Focus shifts to continental competitions
With the rankings now set, attention turns to Saturday’s draws for Africa’s two premier club tournaments. The standings will influence the seeding process, meaning Al Ahly, Sundowns, Esperance, and other top-ranked sides are likely to face theoretically less challenging opponents in the early stages.
For Al Ahly, the latest ranking reaffirms their position as Africa’s benchmark club, both in history and in current form. The Cairo-based team will once again enter the new season among the favourites to lift the CAF Champions League trophy — a competition they have won a record 12 times.
As the 2024/25 African football calendar begins to take shape, the CAF rankings serve as a reminder of both the established powers and the rising challengers ready to stake their claim for continental glory.
Presenting CAF’s 2025 club rankings. A key benchmark ahead of the Preliminary Round Draw! 🌍
Follow the draw live on our YouTube channel on August 9, 2025.#TotalEnergiesCAFCL | #TotalEnergiesCAFCC pic.twitter.com/6AhWHnJ2dt
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) August 8, 2025
