The Japan Times - Nigeria's Rivers United paired with African champions Pyramids

Renaissance Berkane of Morocco and Power Dynamos of Zambia complete Group A, with Pyramids the only club among the four who have qualified before for the mini-league phase.

Although Nigeria rank among the powerhouses of African football, only one club from the most populous country in the continent, Enyimba, have won the competition.

After Enyimba won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004, no Nigerian club has come close to repeating the feat.

Rivers had a tough passage to the group draw, shading Aigles of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Black Bulls of Mozambique with one-goal aggregate victories.

Pyramids, who live in the shadows of more popular Cairo clubs Al Ahly and Zamalek, were surprise champions last season.

They defeated Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa 2-1 in Cairo after a snatching a late 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Pyramids boast a star striker in Congolese Mahmoud Mayele, the leading Champions League scorer last season with nine goals.

Mayele is among 10 nominees for the 2025 African Player of the Year award, as is fellow striker Oussama Lamlioui from Berkane.

- Mokwena returns to Sundowns -

Pyramids beat Berkane 1-0 last month to lift the CAF Super Cup, an annual match between the winners of the Champions League and the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup.

Rulani Mokwena, the South African coach of Algerian contenders Mouloudia Alger, will face his former club Sundowns in Group C, which includes Al Hilal of Sudan and Saint-Eloi Lupopo of DR Congo.

Group debutants Lupopo upset the other South African challengers, Orlando Pirates, in the final qualifying round.

Record 12-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt are in Group B with fellow North African clubs FAR Rabat of Morocco and JS Kabylie of Algeria. Young Africans of Tanzania complete the line-up.

The other Tanzanian hopefuls, Simba, face four-time champions Esperance of Tunisia in Group D. Petro Luanda of Angola and Stade Malien of Mali are in the same section.

Matchday one is scheduled for November 21-22 and the final group matches will be played on February 13-14.

Draw

Group A

Renaissance Berkane (MAR), Pyramids (EGY, holders), Rivers Utd (NGR), Power Dynamos (ZAM)

Group B

Al Ahly (EGY), Young Africans (TAN), FAR Rabat (MAR), JS Kabylie (ALG)

Group C

Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Al Hilal (SUD), Mouloudia Alger (ALG), Saint-Eloi Lupopo (COD)

Group D

Esperance (Tunisia), Simba (TAN), Petro Luanda (ANG), Stade Malien (MLI)

-- Group winners and runners-up qualify for quarter-finals

Matchdays

Nov 21-22, Nov 28-29, Jan 23-24, Jan 30-31, Feb 6-7, Feb 13-14

Y.Watanabe--JT