The 2023/24 Caf Champions League edition serves off on November 24, as the group stages of the competition officially get underway this Friday.
After an intense preliminary round that saw some upsets, 16 teams have been placed into four groups of four teams each as the quest for continental glory begins in earnest.
Group 'A' consists of South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns which won the African Football League a fortnight ago. Others are Pyramids FC (Egypt), TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania).
Gropu 'B' comprises Wydad AC of Morocco, Tanzania's Simba SC, Asec Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire) and Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana.
Tunisia's Esperance highlight group 'C'. The North Africans will battle it out with Atletico Petroleos (Angola), Al Hilal (Sudan) and Etoile du Sahel, also from Tunisia.
Egyptian giants Al Ahly face tricky opposition in the form of CR Belouizdad (Algeria), Young Africans (Tanzania) and Ghana's Medeama.
Pyramids welcomes five-time champions, TP Mazembe who are itching for continental success after last lifting the Champions League trophy in 2015.
In Tanzania, Simba welcomes Ivorian giants, Asec Mimmosas in a Group 'B' encounter that promises fireworks on the eastern part of the continent on November 25.
Also on November 25 is the Tunisian derby pitting ES Tunis against ES Sahel. The match will be played in Tunis with both sides looking at bringing the trophy back to Tunisia after ES Tunis last did in 2019.
In another exciting encounter up north, Al Ahly plays host to Ghanaian outfit, Medeama in Cairo as the competition’s record holders look to defend their title.
Last season’s runners-up, Wydad will be looking to quickly erase their African Football League disappointment when they welcome the high-in-confidence Jwaneng Galaxy on November 25, while Mamelodi Sundowns - fresh from their AFL triumph face Mauritania’s Nouadhibou on November 26.
