FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG

CAF CLUB COMPETITIONS:
• EFA Pushes CAF to Expand Club Slots in Continental Competitions

By Mishael Emmanuel



The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has formally requested that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) increase the number of clubs eligible to compete in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, EFA president Hany Abo Rida said on Thursday.

The proposal comes on the back of a landmark 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign for African football, highlighted by Egypt's historic run to the Round of 16, their best-ever performance at the global tournament, before suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat to defending champions Argentina.

In a statement, the EFA argued that the impressive showing of African nations at the World Cup justifies broader representation in CAF's premier club competitions.

Abo Rida's proposal calls on CAF to award every member association an additional place in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup, with qualification determined by the governing body's existing ranking system.

Under the plan, Africa's highest-ranked football associations would have their allocation increased from two to three clubs in each competition, with the additional teams entering through the preliminary rounds.

At present, CAF grants its top 12-ranked member associations, a group in which Egypt has consistently featured, two places each in the Champions League and Confederation Cup.

If approved, the proposal would raise the number of continental representatives for the continent's elite football nations from four to six clubs across both competitions.

In Egypt, Zamalek and Pyramids FC secured the country's two Champions League places after finishing as the top two teams in the Egyptian Premier League following a dramatic season.

Record African champions Ahly, however, missed out on Champions League qualification and are currently set to feature in next season's CAF Confederation Cup, where they are expected to face either ZED FC or Ceramica Cleopatra.

Approval of the EFA's proposal could hand Ahly a reprieve, potentially elevating the Cairo giants back into the Champions League instead of the Confederation Cup.

The 2026/27 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup campaigns are scheduled to begin with preliminary-round fixtures in September 2026.

The group stage will run from late November 2026 through January 2027, while the finals are slated for May 2027.