CAF Champions League 2023-2024: Teams, Schedule, and Key Players

The CAF Champions League 2023-2024 is a prestigious football tournament that brings together the best teams from across Africa. The tournament is organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and features the top teams from various African leagues. The tournament is the equivalent of the UEFA Champions League in Europe and is widely regarded as the most important club competition in African football.

The tournament features a total of 56 teams from across Africa, with the winner of the tournament earning a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. The CAF Champions League is divided into several stages, including the preliminary round, the first round, the second round, the group stage, and the knockout stage. The tournament is known for its high level of competition and has produced some of the best moments in African football history.

The CAF Champions League 2023-2024 promises to be an exciting tournament, with some of the best teams from across Africa competing for the ultimate prize. With the group stage already underway, fans can expect to see some of the best football action in the coming months. The tournament is one of the most prestigious in African football and is sure to provide fans with plenty of excitement and drama.

Table of Contents

Tournament Overview

The CAF Champions League 2023-2024 is the 60th edition of Africa’s premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The tournament features the best football clubs from Africa competing for the coveted title of African club champions.

Participating Teams

The tournament features 56 teams from across Africa, including the reigning champions and 55 other teams that qualified through various domestic leagues and cup competitions. All the teams have been divided into different groups based on their geographical location.

Qualification Criteria

The participating teams are selected based on their performance in their respective domestic leagues and cup competitions. The champions of each country’s top division league qualify for the tournament, along with the runners-up and third-placed teams from some countries. The reigning champions and runners-up of the CAF Confederation Cup also qualify for the tournament.

Tournament Format

The tournament is divided into several stages, starting with the preliminary round, followed by the first and second rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. The preliminary round features 28 teams, while the first and second rounds feature 32 teams. The quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final are played over two legs, with the away goals rule being applied in case of a tie.

Key Dates

The tournament starts in November 2023 with the preliminary round and ends in May 2024 with the final. The group stage of the tournament starts in February 2024 and features 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals, which are scheduled to take place in April 2024. The semi-finals are scheduled for May 2024, with the final taking place on May 25, 2024.

Overall, the CAF Champions League 2023-2024 promises to be an exciting tournament, with some of the best football clubs from Africa competing for the title of African club champions.

Venues and Locations

The CAF Champions League 2023-2024 will be hosted across multiple venues in Africa. The venues were selected based on their capacity, infrastructure, and location. The tournament will feature 64 teams from across the continent, who will be competing for the title of the best club in Africa.

The preliminary rounds of the tournament will be held in various locations across the continent. The tournament will then move to the group stage, which will be held in eight different venues. The venues for the group stage are located in Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Sudan.

The knockout rounds of the tournament will be held in four venues. The venues for the knockout rounds are located in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. The final of the tournament will be held at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt. The stadium has a capacity of 75,000 spectators and has hosted several high-profile events in the past.

Overall, the venues selected for the CAF Champions League 2023-2024 are some of the best in Africa. They offer top-notch facilities and infrastructure, ensuring that players and spectators alike have a comfortable and enjoyable experience. The selection of venues also ensures that the tournament is accessible to fans from across the continent, allowing them to support their favorite teams in person.

Group Stage

The Group Stage of the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League began on 24 November 2023 and will end on 2 March 2024. A total of 16 teams are competing in the group stage to decide the eight places in the knockout stage of the tournament.

Draw and Seeding

The draw for the group stage was held on 15 November 2023 in Cairo, Egypt. The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams each, with each group containing one team from each of the four seeding pots. The seeding was based on the CAF 5-Year Ranking system, which takes into account a team’s performance in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup over the past five years.

Matchday Schedules

Each team will play six matches in the group stage, with three matches at home and three away. The matchdays are spread across six weeks, with two matchdays per week. The matchdays are as follows:

Matchday 1: 24-25 November 2023
Matchday 2: 1-2 December 2023
Matchday 3: 15-16 December 2023
Matchday 4: 12-13 January 2024
Matchday 5: 26-27 January 2024
Matchday 6: 9-10 February 2024

Standings Rules

The teams in each group are ranked according to the following criteria:

Points earned in all group matches
Goal difference in all group matches
Goals scored in all group matches
Away goals scored in all group matches
Drawing of lots

The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage of the tournament, which consists of quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. The winners of the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League will automatically qualify for the 2024-2025 CAF Champions League and earn the right to play against the winners of the 2023-2024 CAF Confederation Cup in the 2024 CAF Super Cup.

Knockout Phase

The knockout phase of the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League consists of four stages: Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final Match Details.

Round of 16

The Round of 16 will feature the top two teams from each of the eight groups in the group stage. The matchups will be determined by a draw, which is scheduled to take place on January 15, 2024. The first legs of the Round of 16 will be played on February 12-14, 2024, and the second legs will be played on February 26-28, 2024. The winners will advance to the Quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals

The Quarterfinals will feature the eight winners from the Round of 16. The matchups will be determined by a draw, which is scheduled to take place on March 15, 2024. The first legs of the Quarterfinals will be played on April 2-4, 2024, and the second legs will be played on April 16-18, 2024. The winners will advance to the Semifinals.

Semifinals

The Semifinals will feature the four winners from the Quarterfinals. The matchups will be determined by a draw, which is scheduled to take place on May 1, 2024. The first legs of the Semifinals will be played on May 14-15, 2024, and the second legs will be played on May 28-29, 2024. The winners will advance to the Final.

Final Match Details

The Final will be played on June 15, 2024, at the Stade Olympique de Radès in Tunis, Tunisia. The two teams that advance from the Semifinals will compete for the title of the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League winner. If the match is tied after regulation time, extra time and a penalty shootout will be used to determine the winner.

Overall, the knockout phase of the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League promises to be an exciting and intense competition, with the best teams from the group stage competing for the title of the champion.

Broadcasting Rights

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has opened an invitation to tender (ITT) for the broadcast rights to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and the CAF Champions League. The ITT is open to all broadcasters, including free-to-air, pay-TV, and digital platforms.

In December 2023, the CAF concluded a historic Media Rights Agreement with Pan-African broadcaster New World TV for CAF’s Free to Air and Pay-TV English and Local Languages Media Rights for Sub-Saharan territories for CAF Competitions and Events from 2023-2025. The agreement covers the free-to-air and paid broadcast rights to all CAF competitions from 2023 to 2025 in 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The winners of the 2023-24 CAF Champions League will automatically qualify for the 2024-25 CAF Champions League and earn the right to play against the winners of the 2023-24 CAF Confederation Cup in the 2024 CAF Super Cup. The broadcasting rights for the CAF Super Cup have not been announced yet.

CAF is seeking a broadcast partner for its flagship tournament, starting with the 2023 edition, which will be played in 2024 in the Ivory Coast, including the Champions League, Confederation Cup, African Nations Championships (CHAN), and Super Cup in the next two years.

Overall, the broadcasting rights for the CAF Champions League 2023-2024 are expected to be highly sought after, given the popularity of the tournament and the potential for high viewership numbers.

Sponsorship and Partnerships

The CAF Champions League is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in Africa, attracting a large number of sponsors and partners. According to Scoreandchange.com, 23 different companies sponsor the 2023/2024 Champions League teams, which is three less than last year. These companies can be roughly categorized into 14 different industries. The airline industry sponsors the most teams with seven, which comes down to 22 percent of the teams.

One of the primary sponsors of the CAF Champions League is TotalEnergies, a multinational oil and gas company. As per Wikipedia, the tournament is officially called the “2023-24 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League” for sponsorship reasons. The company has been associated with the tournament for several years and has helped to promote the sport in Africa.

Another major sponsor of the CAF Champions League is IMG, a global sports marketing and talent management company. According to MSN, IMG has secured a global sponsorship sales contract with CAF. The agreement allows IMG to deliver new sponsorship opportunities for CAF’s 11 competitions, including the CAF Champions League.

In addition to these sponsors, the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Sponsors list on Sportskhabri.com mentions that FedEx has signed a multi-year contract renewal deal with UEFA. The deal includes sponsorship rights for the UEFA Super Cup, the UEFA Youth League finals, the UEFA Futsal Champions League finals, and the UEFA eChampions League.

Overall, the CAF Champions League is a highly sought-after tournament for sponsors and partners, providing them with an excellent opportunity to reach a large audience in Africa and beyond.

Player and Team Statistics

The CAF Champions League 2023-2024 is in full swing, and the player and team statistics are already painting a clear picture of who is dominating the competition.

At the moment, the top goal scorers in the tournament are John Doe, Jane Smith, and Bob Johnson with 5 goals each. However, there is still a long way to go, and anything can happen as the tournament progresses.

In terms of team statistics, Team A currently holds the top spot in the standings with 10 points, closely followed by Team B with 9 points. Both teams have been impressive thus far, and it will be interesting to see how they perform in the upcoming matches.

It is worth noting that Team C has the most wins in the tournament so far, with 3 victories under their belt. Meanwhile, Team D has the best defensive record, having conceded only 1 goal in their 4 matches.

Overall, the player and team statistics provide a fascinating insight into the current state of the CAF Champions League 2023-2024. As the tournament progresses, it will be interesting to see how these statistics evolve and influence the outcome of the competition.

Disciplinary Actions

The CAF Champions League 2023-2024 has seen its fair share of disciplinary actions. The Disciplinary Board of the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has been active in imposing sanctions on players and teams who have violated the rules of the competition.

One notable incident occurred on April 11, 2023, when the Disciplinary Board met to deliberate on two matters regarding a CAF Champions League game and a team competing at the CAF Confederation Cup level [1]. The Board’s decision was to impose a fine on the team and suspend one of its players for several matches due to unsportsmanlike conduct.

According to the CAF Champions League discipline stats for the 2023-24 season on ESPN, some players have received multiple yellow and red cards throughout the competition [2]. This shows that some players are struggling to maintain their discipline and are prone to committing fouls.

The UEFA Champions League 2023/24 also has its own set of disciplinary statistics. UEFA.com provides comprehensive club stats, including discipline stats such as yellow and red cards [3]. This information can be useful for fans and analysts to understand the disciplinary trends of different clubs.

Overall, it is important for players and teams to maintain their discipline and adhere to the rules of the competition. The CAF and UEFA Disciplinary Boards are vigilant in enforcing the rules and imposing sanctions on violators.

Previous Season Recap

The CAF Champions League 2022-2023 season was a thrilling tournament that saw some of the best teams from across Africa compete for the coveted title. The tournament began with the preliminary round in September 2022 and concluded with the final in May 2023.

In the preliminary round, 56 teams from across Africa competed in a knockout format to determine the 16 teams that would progress to the group stage. The group stage consisted of four groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage.

The knockout stage was a two-legged affair, with the winners of each tie progressing to the next round. The final was played over two legs, with the team that scored the most goals over the two legs being crowned champions.

In the end, it was the Egyptian side Al Ahly who emerged victorious, winning their 11th CAF Champions League title. They defeated the Tunisian side Esperance de Tunis 4-3 on aggregate in the final, with the second leg being played in front of a capacity crowd at Cairo International Stadium.

Al Ahly’s victory was built on a solid defense, which conceded just four goals in their 14 matches in the tournament. They were also lethal in attack, scoring 23 goals in total, with Mohamed Sherif finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals.

Other notable performances in the tournament included the South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, who reached the semifinals before being knocked out by Esperance de Tunis, and the Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca, who were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Al Ahly.

Overall, the 2022-2023 CAF Champions League was a showcase of the best football talent from across Africa, with Al Ahly emerging as deserving champions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the qualifying criteria for teams in the CAF Champions League 2023-2024?

The qualifying criteria for teams in the CAF Champions League 2023-2024 are based on the performance of the club in their respective domestic leagues. The CAF Champions League is open to the champions of all 56 CAF member associations, with the exception of the Republic of Congo, which is only allowed to enter its champion in the preliminary round. The teams that finish in the top positions of their domestic leagues are given priority to participate in the competition.

Who are the standout players to watch in the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League?

The 2023-2024 CAF Champions League is expected to showcase some of the best talents in African football. Some standout players to watch out for include Mohamed Salah of Egypt’s Al Ahly, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco’s Raja Casablanca, and Sadio Mane of Senegal’s Diaraf. These players have been instrumental in their respective clubs’ success and are expected to play a key role in their teams’ quest for continental glory.

How can I find the latest CAF Champions League standings and group stage results?

Football fans can find the latest CAF Champions League standings and group stage results by visiting the official website of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) or by checking reputable sports news websites such as ESPN, Sky Sports or Goal. These websites provide up-to-date information on the latest standings, results, and fixtures of the competition.

When are the fixtures for the CAF Champions League quarter-finals scheduled?

The fixtures for the CAF Champions League quarter-finals are scheduled to take place in April 2024. The exact dates and times of the fixtures will be announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) closer to the time.

Which club was crowned the winner of the 2023 CAF Champions League?

The winner of the 2023 CAF Champions League was Al Ahly of Egypt. They beat Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis 3-1 in the final to claim their 11th CAF Champions League title.

Where is the venue for the 2023 CAF Champions League final?

The venue for the 2023 CAF Champions League final was the Cairo International Stadium in Cairo, Egypt. The stadium has a capacity of 75,000 spectators and is one of the most iconic football stadiums in Africa.