The current edition of the CAF Champions League features a historic and unprecedented absence of the continent’s most traditional football clubs, teams that have dominated podiums throughout recent decades. This sweeping turnover creates a wide-open path for a new continental champion to emerge, upending the established hierarchy of African club football.

Clubs Missing From the Continental Stage

Nine powerhouse clubs that traditionally contend for the African crown will not participate in this season’s tournament. The list includes Egypt’s Al Ahly, who boast 17 final appearances and 12 titles, alongside South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns with three finals and two titles, and Kaizer Chiefs, who reached one final without lifting the trophy. Moroccan football is particularly affected, missing Wydad Athletic Club with six finals and three titles, Raja Club Athletic with four finals and three titles, and AS FAR with two finals and one title. Rounding out the notable omissions are DR Congo’s TP Mazembe with eight finals and five titles, Sudan’s Al-Merrikh with zero final appearances, and Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas, who claim two finals and one title.

Regional Broadcasters Highlight Broader Field Disparities

Additional regional reporting corroborated the widespread nature of these omissions while highlighting specific tournament entries from North Africa. Those outlets noted that the list of missing elite teams also encompasses Algeria’s USM Alger and CR Belouizdad. The departure of these clubs strips the early rounds of decades of combined continental experience and massive domestic fanbases, making it easier for lower-ranked and ambitious clubs to secure their first major continental honor.

Pathways Open for Ambitious Contenders

With traditional heavyweights sidelined from the starting grid, the tournament shifts toward teams with lower continental rankings.