By CAF Conducts Draw for Initial Rounds of 2024-2025 Confederation Cup
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) carried out the draw for the initial two rounds of the 2024-2025 CAF Confederation Cup on Thursday. This year, 52 teams from 41 nations are competing for the prestigious title.
One of the highlighted matchups in the first round features the Racing Club of Abidjan, recent winners of the Ivorian Cup, facing the Moroccan side Union Touarga Sports. Union Touarga, based in Rabat, recently finished an impressive fourth in the Botola league.
Twelve teams have been granted byes for the first round but are already aware of their potential opponents for the second round. Titleholders Zamalek face a favorable draw against the winner of the match between Kenya Police FC and Ethiopian Coffee. Meanwhile, last year’s runners-up, RS Berkane from Morocco, are considered favorites against the victor of the clash between Nigeria’s El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club and Benin’s Dadje FC.
USM Alger, victorious in 2023 but eliminated in the semifinals amid a controversial episode last spring, will contend with either Stade Tunisien or South Sudanese side Jamus FC. Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas will take on Togo’s ASC Kara or Niger’s AS Fan, while AS Vita Club from the Congo, under the guidance of coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, will face the winner between Hotspurs FC (Eswatini) and Stellenbosch FC (South Africa).
Further intriguing matchups include a Guinea versus Burkina Faso duel and a possible Mali versus Cameroon encounter. CS Constantine (Algeria) must overcome Rwanda’s Police FC, while Senegal’s Jaraaf will face East End Lions FC of Sierra Leone. Additionally, there is a notable first-round confrontation between Hafia FC (Guinea) and either Rahimo FC or Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). If Cameroon’s Fovu de Baham triumphs over Paynesville FC from Liberia, they will potentially meet Stade Malien in the second round.
The first leg of the first round is scheduled between August 16-18, with the return legs set for August 23-25. The second round follows with legs on September 13-15 and returns between September 20-22. Notably, the play-offs phase, abolished last year by CAF, means the 16 teams that advance from the second round will directly enter the group stage.
Complete Draw for 2024-2025 CAF Confederation Cup
(A comprehensive chart indicating second-round prospects)
For additional details and updates, visit Afrik-Foot.
