Quarter-Final Battles Set as CAF Interclub Draw Produces Blockbuster Clashes

The knockout stage of Africa’s elite club competitions has been officially mapped out after the quarter-final draws conducted by CAF in Cairo, setting up a series of high-stakes fixtures in both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.

The draw delivered heavyweight encounters, with defending contenders and rising challengers paired across the continent:

• Espérance de Tunis vs Al Ahly

• Mamelodi Sundowns vs Stade Malien

• RS Berkane vs Al Hilal

• AS FAR vs Pyramids FC

The bracket ensures that traditional powerhouses could collide before the final, particularly with the winner of Esperance vs Al Ahly set to meet either Sundowns or Stade Malien in the semi-finals.

The second-tier continental competition also produced intriguing ties featuring North, Central, and Southern African representation:

• Al Masry vs CR Belouizdad

• Olympique Safi vs Wydad AC

• AS Otohô vs Zamalek

• Maniema Union vs USM Alger

A potential North African derby looms later in the tournament if favored sides advance through their respective brackets.

Quarter-final first legs are scheduled for mid-March, with return legs a week later. Semi-final ties will follow in April before continental champions are crowned in May.

With continental prestige and significant prize money at stake, clubs now shift focus from group-stage consistency to knockout-stage resilience  where experience, squad depth, and tactical discipline often determine who survives Africa’s toughest club football tests.