Pyramids' players celebrate winning the CAF Champions League final football match between Pyramids FC and Mamelodi Sundowns.CAF official website
Sixteen clubs have advanced from the second preliminary round to the group stage, where they were divided into four groups of four teams.
According to the draw that was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, the record 12-time Champions League winners Ahly were drawn in Group B alongside heavyweights, Tanzania’s Young Africans, Morocco’s AS FAR and Algeria’s JS Kabylie.
Meanwhile, holders Pyramids FC came in Group A with strong opponents Morocco’s RS Berkane, Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambia’s Power Dynamos.
Ahly will open their group stage campaign by hosting JS Kabylie in Cairo on 21 or 22 November, and then will travel to Morocco to face AS FAR on 28 or 29 November before hosting Young Africans on 23 or 24 January.
The Reds will then be hosted by Young Africans on 30 or 31 January and again travel in the fourth round to face JS Kabylie on 6 or 7 February before ending the group stage journey by hosting AS FAR on 13 or 14 February.
On the other side, Pyramids FC will kick off the campaign by hosting Rivers United on 21 or 22 November and then will travel to face Zambia’s Power Dynamos on 28 or 29 November before facing RS Berkane away in the third round on 23 or 24 January.
The Egyptian club will host RS Berkane in the fourth round on 30 or 31 January, and then travel to Nigeria to face Rivers United on 6 or 7 February and finally will be hosting Power Dynamos in the last round on 13 or 14 February.
On 25 October, Cairo giants Ahly booked their place in the group stage after defeating Burundi’s Aigle Noir 1-0 in the second leg of the round of 32, completing a 2-0 aggregate victory.
Meanwhile, Pyramids FC secured their spot in the group stage with a 2-0 victory over Ethiopian Insurance in the second leg of the second preliminary round at Air Defence Stadium in Cairo on 30 October.
The defending champions had already earned a 1-1 draw in the first leg, also held at Air Defence Stadium, and advanced with a 3-1 aggregate score.
Ahly was eliminated from last edition’s semi-final after losing to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, while Pyramids FC won the prestigious title for the first ever time after passing the South African heavyweights in the final.
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