TotalEnergies CAF Champions League: How they got to the quarter-finals
The stage is set for the quarter-finals of the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, with Africa’s elite clubs preparing for decisive encounters this weekend.
Defending champions Pyramids FC, former winners Mamelodi Sundowns, Espérance Sportive de Tunis and record champions Al Ahly SC are among the heavyweights still in contention for Africa’s most coveted title.
They are joined by ambitious equally strong challengers in AS FAR, Al Hilal, RS Berkane and Stade Malien, who will all be aiming to book a place in the semi-finals.
Here is a look at how the eight clubs reached the quarter-final stage.
Pyramids FC v AS FAR
Saturday, 14 March
Pyramids FC (Egypt)
Egyptian side Pyramids FC enter the quarter-finals as the defending champions after defeating Mamelodi Sundowns in last season’s final to secure their maiden TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title.
Pyramids began their campaign in the first preliminary round, where they eased past Rwanda’s APR FC with a dominant 5-0 aggregate victory. A 2-0 away win was followed by a 3-0 home triumph.
The Egyptian side faced a tougher challenge in the second round against Ethiopian Insurance. After a 1-1 draw in Ethiopia, Pyramids secured their place in the group stage with a 2-0 win at home.
Under coach Krunoslav Jurčić, the champions were outstanding in the group stage. They recorded five wins and one draw, finishing with the best record of the group phase.
Pyramids also scored 14 goals, the highest tally in the competition so far, while conceding just two, highlighting both their attacking strength and defensive solidity.
AS FAR (Morocco)
Moroccan giants AS FAR began their campaign with a trip to The Gambia to face Real de Banjul FC.
The Rabat-based club progressed comfortably with a 4-1 aggregate win, starting with a 2-0 victory away from home before sealing qualification with a 2-1 win in Rabat.
In the second round they faced a challenging trip to Conakry against Horoya AC, where they secured a 1-1 draw. The return leg in Rabat saw AS FAR dominate, scoring through a penalty, an own goal and a late strike to secure a 3-0 win and 4-1 aggregate progression.
Their group stage campaign proved more difficult than the previous season. AS FAR recorded two wins, three draws and one defeat, finishing on nine points to qualify for the quarter-finals. They finished second behind Al Ahly SC (10 points), edging out Young Africans SC, who ended third on eight points.
Mamelodi Sundowns v Stade Malien
Friday, 13 March – Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns return to the knockout stage determined to go one step further after finishing runners-up in last season’s TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Miguel Cardoso’s side began their campaign in the second preliminary round against Nigeria’s Remo Stars FC, producing an emphatic 7-1 aggregate victory. Sundowns won 5-1 away before completing the job with a 2-0 win at home.
The group stage proved challenging. Sundowns failed to register an away victory, recording two home wins, three draws and one defeat – the loss coming against Al Hilal.
Their qualification remained uncertain until the final matchday when they hosted MC Alger. Sundowns delivered under pressure, securing a 2-0 victory to advance to the quarter-finals.
Stade Malien (Mali)
The 2026 campaign has already become historic for Stade Malien. The Bamako-based club reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history and also made their debut in the group stage.
They began their journey with a commanding 7-0 aggregate win over AS Tempête Mocaf of the Central African Republic, winning 5-0 away before adding a 2-0 home victory.
In the second round they faced Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou. After a 1-1 draw away, Stade Malien secured qualification with a 2-0 victory in Bamako.
Their biggest achievement came in the group stage where they topped their group with 11 points, finishing ahead of former champions Espérance Sportive de Tunis. They held Espérance to a draw in Tunis before defeating them in Mali, marking one of the surprises of the group phase.
They now face their toughest test yet against 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Al Ahly SC v Espérance Sportive de Tunis
Sunday, 15 March
Al Ahly SC (Egypt)
Record African champions Al Ahly SC finished top of Group B with 10 points, although their campaign was more closely contested than in previous years.
The Cairo giants won two matches and drew four.
Despite the limited number of victories, Al Ahly remained unbeaten throughout the group stage and are still undefeated in the competition this season. Earlier in the preliminary rounds they advanced with 1-0 victories both home and away.
They now face familiar rivals Espérance Sportive de Tunis, whom they defeated in the 2024 final. The two clubs have also met in three finals since 2012, all won by Al Ahly, adding further intensity to this quarter-final encounter.
Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
Espérance began their campaign against Burkina Faso’s Rahimo FC, progressing comfortably with a 4-0 aggregate victory. After winning 1-0 away, they secured qualification with a 3-0 win in Tunis.
However, the group stage proved more competitive than expected. Despite their pedigree, Espérance finished second in their group with nine points, behind group winners Stade Malien.
Their campaign included two victories and three draws, with their only defeat coming away in Bamako.
They now face a major challenge as they seek revenge against Al Ahly and return to the semi-finals.
RS Berkane v Al Hilal
Sunday, 15 March
RS Berkane (Morocco)
Morocco’s RS Berkane were tested early in the competition. Their opening match away to ASC Kara in Togo ended in a 1-1 draw, but they recovered strongly with a 3-1 home victory to progress.
The second round proved equally demanding. Berkane drew 1-1 away against Al Ahly Tripoli, before securing qualification in the return leg. After falling behind early, the Moroccan side equalised before scoring again in the second half to advance to the group stage.
In the group phase Berkane finished second with 10 points, behind a dominant Pyramids FC side that accumulated 16 points.
Berkane recorded three wins, but suffered two away defeats, including one against Pyramids. Improving their away form will be crucial as they enter the knockout stage.
Al Hilal (Sudan)
Sudan’s Al Hilal began their campaign against South Sudanese side Jamus FC. After a 0-0 draw away, they secured qualification with a 1-0 home victory.
They progressed comfortably in the second round, defeating Kenya Police FC 4-1 on aggregate following a 1-0 away win and a 3-0 victory in the return leg played in Rwanda.
In the group stage, Al Hilal impressed by finishing top of Group C with 11 points, ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns. Their campaign included three wins, two draws and one defeat, the loss coming away to MC Alger.
After being eliminated in last season’s quarter-finals by Al Ahly, Al Hilal will be aiming to go further this year, although RS Berkane present a formidable challenge.