CAF Champions League 2023 champions Al Ahly to open defense campaign against first preliminary round winners between El Merreikh and Gor Mahia FC

* As losing finalists Esperance Sportive de Tunis date Arta Solar or Dekadaha FC

* With semi finalists TP Mazembe facing the winners of Nyasa Big Bullets v Red Arrows

Maravi Express

Egyptian giants, Al Ahly with 12 CAF Champions League titles — two of which they have won consecutively — will open their title defence at the conclusion of the first preliminary round between El Merreikh of South Sudan and Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC.

This follows the draw CAF conducted for the first round of the preliminary phases of the CAF Champions League 2024/25 in which Al Ahly, Espérance Sportive de Tunis of Tunisia, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Angola’s Atlético Petroleos and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe are exempted.

The first leg matches of the first round will take place between August 16 and 18, with the return legs between August 23 and 25.

Al Ahly proved they are kings of African club football in May when they beat Esperance Sportive de Tunis and the Tunisians are also exempted from the first preliminary round — waiting for the outcome of the match between Arta Solar of Djibouti and Dekadaha of Somalia.

On their way to the title, Al Ahly beat DRC’s TP Mazembe in the semifinals, who will face the winners between Malawi’s Nyasa Big Bullets and Red Arrows of Zambia.

The winners of the encounter between M. Swallows of eSwatini and Fer Da Beira of Mozambique will clash with Mamelodi Sundowns while Angola’s Atlético Petroleos will face winners between Ngezi Platinum of Zimbabwe and DR Congo’ AS Maniema.

The full preliminary round first leg matches are:

* El Merreikh (South Sudan) vs. Gor Mahia (Kenya)

* Arta Solar (Djibouti) vs. Dekadaha (Somalia)

* SC Villa Jogoo (Uganda) vs. Commercial Bank (Ethiopia)

* Vital’O FC (Burundi) vs. Young Africans (Tanzania)

* Azam FC (Tanzania) vs. APR FC (Rwanda)

* JKU SC (Tanzania) vs. Pyramids (Egypt)

* M. Swallows (Eswatini) vs. Fer Da Beira (Mozambique)

* Ngezi Platinum (Zimbabwe) vs. AS Maniema (DR Congo)

* Nyasa Big Bullets (Malawi) vs. Red Arrows FC (Zambia)

* African Stars (Namibia) vs. Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)

* Disciples FC (Madagascar) vs. Orlando Pirates (South Africa)

* US Zilimadjou (Comoros) vs. Rangers FC (Nigeria)

* St Louis (Seychelles) vs. GDSE (Angola)

* AS Douanes (Burkina Faso) vs. Coton Bénin (Benin)

* AS Leopards (Congo) vs. CR Belouizdad (Algeria)

* Victoria UTD (Cameroon) vs. FC Samartex (Ghana)

* ASGNN (Niger) vs. Raja Casablanca (Morocco)

* AS PSI (Chad) vs. US Monastir (Tunisia)

* Watanga FC (Liberia) vs. MC Alger (Algeria)

* Red Star (Central African Republic) vs. Djoliba de Bamako (Mali)

* CD Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) vs. Asko de Kara (Togo)

* Stade d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) vs. Teungueth FC (Senegal)

* Milo FC (Guinea) vs. FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)

* Bo Rangers (Sierra Leone) vs. San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire)

* Libyan Club 2 vs. Al Hilal (Sudan)

* Libyan Club 1 vs. El Merreikh (Sudan)

* Remo Stars (Nigeria) vs. AS Far (Morocco)

The second round of the preliminary phases of the Champions League is scheduled for September 13-15 for the first leg matches and September 20-22 for the return legs.

With the stage set and teams ready, the new season promises thrilling encounters and intense competition as clubs vie for the ultimate continental glory.

Just as it was last season when the Egyptians, Al Ahly rubber stamped their authority as African football club kings after wrapping the CAF Champions League 2023/24 matches without a loss and also finished the campaign with the best defensive record — with just a single goal conceded.

Soon after being crowned champions, Al Ahly coach Marcel Kohler had to rein in the club’s supporters to savour their record-extending 12th CAF Champions League triumph before immediately turning their attention to the next trophy.

The 51-year-old Swiss tactician, who has won eight Egyptian and African trophies in two years at the helm, admitted that he expected demands for another CAF Champions League title to start immediately from Ahly’s insatiable fanbase, saying: “I know the fans will demand the 13th title for me as soon as I arrive at the residence hotel.

“I’ve learnt at Al Ahly that after we finish one tournament, the fans ask us about the next one, and this is not a good thing, as they don’t know how to celebrate and enjoy these moments.

“Looking for titles is a good thing, but it’s important to know how to be happy. I am like Al Ahly’s fans, hungry for titles, and my ambition is to help the team achieve more success.”

Since 2016, South African side Mamelodi Sundowns — who are the inaugural champions of the African Football League which they won in  2023 — are the only club outside North Africa to have won the CAF Champions League.

It has been dominated by Egypt’s Al Ahly (4 times), Tunisia’s Espérance de Tunis (twice) and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca (twice).

The following is the honours list since 2016: