North Africa’s dominance in the CAF Champions League is especially prominent over recent years. Egyptian side Al Ahly’s back-to-back titles is just the beginning.
From Cameroonian club dominance to Al Ahly’s impressive successes, the CAF Champions League produces remarkable moments. Africa’s premier club soccer tournament developed numerous soccer stars like Vincent Enyeama and Hossam Hassan. It gives clubs from all over Africa a chance to show their skills.
Yet, North African clubs own a monopoly over the CAF Champions League in recent years. Since 2016, elite North African clubs triumphed in the premier club tournament on the continent. This season, Al Ahly enters as the two-time holders of the competition.
The stranglehold by the region is not simply quality or commitment discrepancies. As seen, AFCON, as well as other club competitions, can <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/16999874" target="_blank" rel="noopener">produce underdogs</a> that bring trophies home.
The differences lie elsewhere in regards to North Africa’s dominance in the CAF Champions League.
<h3>Explaining North Africa’s dominance in the competition</h3>
For reference, we designate Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Libya as North Africa. These are the nations that span the Mediterranean Sea and fall under the Union of North African Football, or UNAF.
North African club soccer certainly trumps other African clubs. In the competition’s near-60-year history, North African clubs won 33 titles, more than all other nation’s clubs combined. Trophies are one thing. The debate stems from how the North African sides dominate.
The simple answer would be to say skill or quality. Looking at the African Cup of Nations, UNAF nations do hold a lead in terms of number of champions. Egypt (7), Algeria (2), Morocco (1) and Tunisia (1) account for 11 titles. UNAF has more than any other region of Africa.
This is impressive, yes, but it is only a narrow lead over West Africa’s 10 titles and Central Africa’s eight. Meanwhile, the club scene runs through North Africa, and that much is undisputed.
<h5>North African clubs standing out</h5>
Journalist Maher Mezahi writes this dominance on the club scene exists because of the funding of North African sides.
<blockquote>“The simple truth is that many North African clubs possess sizeable budgets, allowing for the construction of infrastructure and better player acquisition,” he wrote in a <a href="https://mg.co.za/article/2019-04-30-the-secret-of-north-africas-football-dominance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2019 article</a>.</blockquote>
North Africa has more private investors investing in clubs so teams can spend more. Club infrastructure via training grounds and stadiums draws in players. Of course, these facilities are wildly expensive for the most lavish of options. Many African clubs do not have the funding to support something of this nature.
Former Mamelodi Sundowns manager Pitso Mosimane told KICKOFF <a href="https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/world-news/categories/news/caf-champions-league/mamelodi-sundowns-coach-pitso-mosimane-e/593965" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his thoughts</a> on North African clubs’ dominance.
<blockquote>“The big thing about North Africans is all about the intimidation. It is about how the officials handle the stress and the pressure,” Mosimane said.</blockquote>
Fan bases in North Africa are very energetic and sometimes hard to handle.
North Africa’s dominance comes from a mix of both money and intimidation. On one hand, money and marketing impact how rosters are made up. Therefore, better talent, players, coaches and facilities can be intimidating to those on the outside.
Yet there are countless other reasons too. They range from the popularity of soccer to the corruption that plagues football associations.
<h3><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-370572 size-full" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20220210_CMS_365991_CAF-Champions-League-Trophy_f93464c1.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=900" alt="CAF Champions League trophy" width="1200" height="900" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/CAF-Champions-League-Trophy.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/CAF-Champions-League-Trophy-300x225.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/CAF-Champions-League-Trophy-600x450.jpg 600w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/CAF-Champions-League-Trophy-150x113.jpg 150w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/CAF-Champions-League-Trophy-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></h3>
<h3>Hope for the underdogs and outliers</h3>
There is hope for Africa’s sub-Saharan sides.
This era draws comparisons to when the Congo dominated in the 1960s and Cameroon’s success in the 1980s. The current period exemplifies North Africa’s dominance in the CAF Champions League.
Other clubs need to adapt now more than ever. Although North Africa’s dominance looks near insurmountable, there are examples of how to <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/caf-champions-league/story/4001768/how-mamelodi-sundowns-became-the-caf-champions-leagues-trickiest-customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">take down some of Africa’s mightiest fighters</a>.
<h5>Breaking down the groups</h5>
Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of North African clubs. The CAF Champions League includes defending champions Al Ahly, famed club Raja Casablanca, and more. However, no one expected how dominant North Africa would be in qualifying. Half of the teams in the group stage, eight out of 16, are North African.
Clubs from North Africa do not just reign in quantity but also quality. North African teams form the top-five sides for seeding. Essentially, UNAF clubs held the highest places in CAF’s five-Year Ranking. The best four associations, according to the CAF five-year ranking, are from North Africa. This, yet again, reaffirms North Africa’s dominance.
North Africa’s power is unparalleled, but some teams could lift the trophy in this campaign.
<h5>Preview</h5>
Al Ahly is the favorite to take home the CAF Champions League trophy. Coming off two consecutive Champions League victories, Al Ahly is also a domestic powerhouse. Fellow Egyptian side Zamalek, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Tunisian titleholders Esperance Tunis could also take the title.
Yet numerous sleeper candidates pose problems to the perennial contenders. Sides like AmaZulu from South Africa or Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel will be problematic for the pre-established elite. Horoya AC will also cause trouble in a field full of fascinating sides.
On beIN Sports, many players will show their skills and attract the attention of clubs from other continents. Malian international <a href="https://breakingthelines.com/player-analysis/aliou-dieng-malis-midfield-metronome/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aliou Dieng</a> will be among those players. Dieng, who earned 20 caps for his native Mali, is one of the continent’s best players at club and international level. The defensive midfielder is akin to a brick wall.
Another player to look out for is Namibia’s Peter Shalulile. Shalulile leads Mamelodi Sundowns’ front line in this CAF campaign. Shalulile terrorized the South African Premier League all season and will look to repeat his feats in this campaign.
<h5>Getting things started</h5>
beIN SPORTS holds the rights to broadcast the CAF Champions League in the United States. The tournament kicks off on Friday, Feb. 11, with games running into the weekend.
beIN SPORTS puts these games on its extra channels, such as beIN SPORTS Connect 2 or beIN SPORTS Connect 3. Therefore, beIN SPORTS Connect is a viable option to watch these games, as is something like <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">fuboTV</a>.
Here are some of the notable games in the first matchday to get North Africa’s dominance started in the 2022 edition of the CAF Champions League. All times are U.S. Eastern Time.
Friday, Feb. 11
10:50 a.m. — Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) vs. CR Bélouizdad (Algeria) — beIN SPORTS Connect 4
1:50 a.m. — Wydad AC (Morocco) vs. GD Sagrada Esparanca (Angola) — beIN SPORTS Connect 5
Saturday, Feb. 12
7:50 a.m. — Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia) vs. Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana) — beIN SPORTS Connect 3
10:50 a.m. — Horoya AC (Guinea) vs. ES Sétif (Algeria) — beIN SPORTS Connect 3
10:50 a.m. — Zamalek (Egypt) vs. Petro Atlético (Angola) — beIN SPORTS Connect 5
Sunday Feb. 13
7:50 a.m. — Coton Sport FC (Cameroon) vs. Al Masry (Egypt) — beIN SPORTS Connect 4
10:50 a.m. — Pyramids (Egypt) vs. Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) — beIN SPORTS Connect 3
10:50 a.m. — Orlando Pirates (South Africa) vs. JS Saoura (Algeria) — beIN SPORTS Connect 4
1:50 p.m. — CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) vs. Zanaco (Zambia) — beIN SPORTS Connect 3
1:50 p.m. — RS Berkane (Morocco) vs. USGN (Niger) — beIN SPORTS Connect 4

North Africa’s dominance entering the CAF Champions League

The CAF Champions League is a dramatic tournament among the continent's best clubs, but North Africa's dominance persists entering 2022.

North Africa's dominance entering the CAF Champions League - World Soccer Talk

<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/11/algeria-e1416275863277.jpg"></a><figure class="image"><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/11/algeria-e1416275863277.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-121851" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20141118_CMS_121850_algeria-600x397_0ca14c53.webp&amp;width=600&amp;height=397" alt="Algérie - Arménie - 20140531 - Equipe d&apos;Algérie" width="600" height="397"></a></figure>
Wednesday marks the final round of qualifying for the African Nations Cup. It will now take place in Equatorial Guinea between 17 January to 8 February next year as Morocco were officially removed as hosts due to their reluctance of hosting the tournament due to fear of the ebola epidemic. Six places are still up for grabs prior to Wednesday’s fixtures.
Here is a breakdown of the groups and matches (all times U.S Eastern):
– Group winners, runners-up and the best 3rd&nbsp;place team qualify for the final tournament.
– Tiebreakers are determined on a head-to-head basis (points between the teams; goal difference; away goals; followed by goal difference in all games; and goals scored).
GROUP A:
1. South Africa…..11pts
2. Nigeria…..7pts.
3. Congo…..7pts.
4. Sudan…..3pts.
Matches:
12:00pm Nigeria v South Africa
12:00pm Sudan v Congo
– Nigeria hold the tiebreaker over Congo as they both shared road victories but Nigeria have a superior goal difference in those two matches (4-3). So Nigeria need a victory or to at least match Congo’s result in Sudan. South Africa have already qualified.
———————————
GROUP B:
1. Algeria…..15pts.
2. Mali…..6pts.
3. Malawi…..6pts.
4. Ethiopia…..3pts.
Matches:
11:00am Ethiopia v Malawi
11:00am Mali v Algeria&nbsp;&nbsp; (LIVE on beinsportsconnect.tv)
– Algeria have qualified. An Ethiopia win and Mali loss would actually place 3 teams on 6 points and goal difference would come into play. In case of two draws on Wednesday, Mali &amp; Malawi shared 2-0 home wins so the tiebreaker would go to overall goal-difference which is clearly in Mali’s favor. Malawi also have a chance to qualify as the best 3rd&nbsp;place team.
———————————
GROUP C:
1. Burkina Faso…..10pts.
2. Gabon…..9pts.
3. Angola…..5pts.
4. Lesotho…..2pts.
Matches:
1:00pm Burkina Faso v Angola
1:00pm Gabon v Lesotho
– Burkina Faso and Gabon have already assured their places in the final tournament. Angola need a win and many other scenarios to go their way to finish as the best 3rd&nbsp;place team.
———————————
GROUP D:
1. Cameroon…..13pts.
2. Ivory Coast…..9pts.
3. DR Congo…..6pts.
4. Sierra Leone…..1pts.
Matches:
9:00am Ivory Coast v Cameroon (LIVE beINSport, beIÑ &amp; DishWorld)
9:00am DR Congo v Sierra Leone
– The important thing to keep in mind here is that DR Congo hold the tiebreaker over Ivory Coast (away goals head-to-head) so Cameroon cannot afford to slip up at home to a Cameroon side that has already qualified. Also worth noting, the 3rd&nbsp;place team here would very much be in consideration for a final’s berth.
———————————
GROUP E:
1. Ghana…..8pts.
2. Uganda…..7pts.
3. Guinea…..7pts.
4. Togo……6pts.
Matches:
11:00am Ghana v Togo&nbsp;&nbsp; (LIVE beINSport, beIÑ &amp; DishWorld)
11:00am Guinea v Uganda
– A group where none have officially qualified and all four teams are still in the running. The combinations are plenty. One fact worth keeping in mind, Uganda have beaten Guinea 2-0 in their first meeting so if a tiebreaker is looked at for only those two teams, Uganda have the advantage depending on Wednesday’s result.
———————————
GROUP F:
1. Cape Verde…..12pts.
2. Zambia…..8pts.
3. Mozambique…..5pts.
4. Niger…..2pts.
Matches:
11:00am Niger v Mozambique
11:00am Zambia v Cape Verde (LIVE on beinsportsconnect.tv)
– Zambia hold the tiebreaker over Mozambique so this group is over. Cape Verde and Zambia advance. However, Mozambique have an outside chance to claim the best 3rd&nbsp;place overall.
———————————
GROUP G:
1. Tunisia…..11pts.
2. Senegal…..10pts.
3. Egypt…..6pts.
4. Botswana…..1pts.
Matches:
2:00pm Senegal v Botswana
2:00pm Tunisia v Egypt
– Tunisia and Senegal are heading to the final tournament. But Egypt are still in the hunt for the best 3rd&nbsp;place team.
———————————
CURRENT 3RD&nbsp;PLACE RANKINGS:
1. Guinea…..7pts (0 Goal Difference)
2. Congo…..7pts. (-1)
3. Egypt…..6pts. (0)
4. DR Congo…..6pts. (-1)
5. Malawi…..6pts. (-4)
6. Angola…..5pts. (0)
7. Mozambique…..5pts. (0)
Edward Perovic is the publisher of soccertvblog.com – a source for schedules and US TV information for major European Leagues and International competitions.

U.S TV Schedule For Final Round Of African Nations Cup Qualifying 

U.S TV Schedule For Final Round Of African Nations Cup Qualifying  - World Soccer Talk

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North Africa’s dominance entering the CAF Champions League

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