A historic all-Moroccan clash has been set for the quarter-finals of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, as Olympic Safi prepares to face powerhouse Wydad AC.
The matchup was confirmed during the official draw held by CAF on Tuesday, ensuring that at least one Moroccan representative will feature in the final four of the continental competition.
The draw sets the stage for a high-stakes “Botola derby” on the grander African stage. Wydad AC enters the knockout phase as one of the tournament favorites after a dominant display in Group B.
The Casablanca giants finished at the summit of their group with 15 points, suffering only a single defeat across six matches.
For Wydad, this campaign represents a determined push to reassert their continental dominance and add the Confederation Cup to their illustrious trophy cabinet.
In contrast, Olympic Safi is celebrating a landmark achievement. By finishing as runners-up in Group A with 13 points—trailing only USM Alger—the “Sardineers” have reached the quarter-final stage of a CAF competition for the first time in their history.
While they enter the tie as the perceived underdogs, Safi’s resilient group-stage performance suggests they are capable of upsetting the established hierarchy.
The most recent encounter between the two sides provides a narrow psychological edge to Wydad. On November 9, 2025, Wydad secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory at Safi’s Stade El Massira during domestic league action. However, Safi’s recent home record against the Reds remains respectable, including a victory and a draw in their two prior meetings before 2025.
The first leg of this anticipated quarter-final is scheduled for March 15, 2026, with the decisive second leg following on March 22.
Beyond the prestige of the derby, the stakes are elevated by the bracket pathway; the winner of this tie is slated to face either AS Maniema Union or USM Alger in the semi-finals.
With two of Morocco’s most passionate fanbases set to collide, the North African showdown is expected to be the highlight of the round.
