February 10 – The 2017 Total CAF Champions League kicks off with the preliminary round today. For the first time the tournament will have 16 participants in the group stages.
Last year, at the 38th Ordinary General Assembly, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the move to expand the group stages of both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup from 2017, the governing body’s flagship club tournaments.
The increase in teams were key proposals put forward by CAF President Issa Hayatou at the Mexico City club competitions last May. Both CAF club competitions will this year feature a group phase with 16 teams, up from eight teams in the past. The teams that lose in the first round of the Champions League will drop to the Confederation Cup.
The preliminary round Champions League ties are decided on a home-and-away two-legged basis. JS Saoura take on Enugu Rangers and KCCA face 1st de Agosto. All the winners will progress to the first round from which the 16 participants for the group stages will emerge. TP Mazembe, Al-Ahly, Zamalek, Etoile du Sahel, Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance de Tunis, Al-Hilal, USM Alger and Wydad Casablanca all received a bye to the first round.
The winners of the 2017 CAF Champions League will qualify as the CAF representative for the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, and also earn the right to play against the winners of the CAF Confederation Cup in the 2018 CAF Super Cup. Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa are the defending champions.
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