TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup: How they reached the quarter-finals
The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals promise exciting encounters as eight clubs battle for a place in the semi-finals.
Former champions Zamalek SC and USM Alger remain among the favourites, while strong contenders such as Wydad AC, CR Belouizdad, Al Masry SC, OC Safi, AS Otoho and Maniema Union will all aim to continue their impressive campaigns.
Here is a look at how the eight teams reached the quarter-finals.
AS Otoho v Zamalek SC
Saturday, 14 March
AS Otoho (Congo)
Congolese side AS Otoho began their campaign against Angola’s CD Primeiro de Agosto in the first round. Otoho secured a 2-1 victory in the first leg, before holding their opponents to a goalless draw in the return leg to progress 2-1 on aggregate.
Another trip to Southern Africa followed in the second round, where they faced Mozambique’s Ferroviário de Maputo. A 1-0 away win gave Otoho a crucial advantage heading into the second leg, and they confirmed their progress with a 2-0 victory at home, advancing 3-0 on aggregate.
Their group stage campaign proved inconsistent but ultimately successful. Otoho recorded three wins and three defeats, finishing with nine points to secure qualification.
Algerian side CR Belouizdad topped the group with 15 points, leaving Otoho to advance as runners-up.
Zamalek SC (Egypt)
Egyptian giants Zamalek SC began their campaign in the second preliminary round and produced a dominant performance against Somalia’s Dekedaha FC.
The Cairo club secured a commanding 7-0 aggregate victory, winning 6-0 in the first leg before completing the task with a 1-0 win in the return leg.
Zamalek were drawn into a competitive Group D, where they finished top with 11 points. Their closest challengers were fellow Egyptians Al Masry SC and South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs, who both finished with 10 points.
The two-time winners recorded three victories, two draws and one defeat during the group phase. While their attacking output was modest with six goals in six matches, they boasted the best defensive record in the group, conceding only four goals.
Al Masry SC v CR Belouizdad
Saturday, 14 March
Al Masry SC (Egypt)
Egypt’s Al Masry SC entered the competition in the second preliminary round against Libya’s Al Ittihad Tripoli.
After a goalless draw away, Al Masry secured qualification with a 2-1 victory in Egypt, progressing to the group stage 2-1 on aggregate.
They were placed in a highly competitive Group D alongside Zamalek SC, Kaizer Chiefs, and Zesco United. Al Masry finished second with 10 points, level with Kaizer Chiefs but progressing on head-to-head results.
Their campaign included three wins, one draw and two defeats, with a crucial away victory over Kaizer Chiefs on the final matchday securing their place in the knockout stage.
CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
Algerian powerhouse CR Belouizdad began their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup journey against Hafia FC of Guinea in the second preliminary round.
The first leg ended 1-1, but Belouizdad secured progression with a 2-1 victory at home, advancing 3-2 on aggregate.
They were one of the standout teams of the group stage, finishing top of their group with 15 points after winning five of their six matches.
Their only defeat came in a 4-1 loss to AS Otoho, despite them playing well on the day. They finished six points clear of second-placed Otoho, underlining their impressive form in the group phase.
Maniema Union v USM Alger
Sunday, 15 March
Maniema Union (DR Congo)
The 2025/26 campaign has already been historic for Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They began in the first round against Mauritian side Pamplemousses SC, winning 2-1 at home before drawing 2-2 away to advance 4-3 on aggregate.
Their second-round tie against Royal Leopards of Eswatini proved extremely tight. Both legs ended 1-1, forcing the tie to be decided on penalties, where Maniema prevailed 4-3 to reach the group stage.
In the group phase they impressed with four wins and two defeats, finishing second with 12 points behind Wydad AC, who topped the group with 15 points. Maniema Union also handed Wydad their only defeat of the group stage.
USM Alger (Algeria)
Algerian club USM Alger began their campaign in the first round against Côte d’Ivoire opposition, winning 3-1 on aggregate.
They secured a 1-0 victory in Abidjan before completing the job with a 2-0 win in Algiers to reach the group stage.
USM Alger were the only team to complete the group stage unbeaten, recording four wins and two draws to finish top of their group with 14 points.
They also finished as the group’s top scorers with nine goals and shared the best defensive record with OC Safi, conceding just four goals throughout the group phase.
OC Safi v Wydad AC
Sunday, 15 March
OC Safi (Morocco)
Morocco’s OC Safi began their campaign with an emphatic 6-0 aggregate victory over Niger’s AS Nigelec in the first round.
After a 1-0 win away, Safi produced a dominant 5-0 victory at home to comfortably advance.
Their second-round tie against Tunisia’s Stade Tunisien proved more challenging. However, Safi secured a 2-0 home win before completing the job with a 2-1 away victory, reaching the group stage 4-1 on aggregate.
In the group phase they continued their strong form, recording four wins, one draw and one defeat to finish second with 13 points, just one point behind group winners USM Alger.
Wydad AC (Morocco)
Moroccan giants Wydad AC entered the competition in the second preliminary round and immediately made a statement by defeating Ghana’s Asante Kotoko 6-1 on aggregate.
After a 1-0 win in Kumasi, Wydad delivered a commanding 5-1 victory in Casablanca to secure qualification.
They carried that momentum into the group stage, winning five of their six matches. Their only defeat came against Maniema Union, but it did not prevent them from finishing top of the group with 15 points.
Wydad will now aim to continue their strong campaign as they pursue their first TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup title.