Today, we can begin our countdown to returning to CAF Confederation’s Cup action with the quarter finals draw taking place on Tuesday March 12.
Following the conclusion of the group stage matches on Sunday March 3, the picture as to who we might face in the knockout stages of the competition is becoming a little clearer, as we seek to better our last seasons quarter-final finish.
Here is everything we know so far about what the draws will look:
What is the mechanism of the quarter-finals draw?
In the draw for the quarter-finals, the four group winners will be seeded, and the four group runners-up will be unseeded. The seeded teams will be drawn against the unseeded teams, with the seeded teams hosting the second leg.
Who has qualified for the knockout stage?
Reigning champions, USM Alger headline the eight clubs that will go into the Quarter-Finals draw set to take place on Tuesday, 12 March.
This season’s quarter-finalists include four clubs that have lifted the title in recent years, which are current holders, USM Alger (2022/23), Stade de Malien (2008/09), RS Berkane (2019/20, 2021/22,) as well as Zamalek (2018/19).
Making up the final list of quarter-finalists after Sunday’s fixtures are Nigeria’s Rivers United, Dreams FC of Ghana, Abu Salem of Libya as well as Egyptian side, Modern Future who will be looking at following in the path of other Egyptian giants who have stamped their authority on the continent.
While the quarter-finals boast four former champions, the quartet of Rivers United, Dreams FC, Abu Salem and Modern Future, who have all been exceptional in the competition will be looking at making a name for themselves on the continent.
Last season’s winners of the competition, USM Alger further went on to lift the TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup in a thrilling encounter against record CAF Champions League holders, Al Ahly.
TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Quarter-Finalists:
Abu Salem (Libya), Dreams FC (Ghana), Modern Future (Egypt), Rivers United (Nigeria), RS Berkane (Morocco), Stade Malien (Mali), USM Alger (Algeria), Zamalek (Egypt)
Do we know any potential opponents yet?
Firstly, teams from the same group could not be drawn against each other, while teams from the same association could be drawn against each other., meaning a trip to Kumasi, Ghana to face Dreams FC is off the cards.
Due to finishing in second place, we will be placed in pot 2 during the draw, meaning we cannot face fellow pot 2 teams Abu Salem (Libya), Modern Future (Egypt) and Stade Malien (Mali) until the semifinal stage.
What is guaranteed is that we will face a seeded team from pot 1, which means a two legged game against either RS Berkane (Morocco), USM Alger (Algeria) or Zamalek (Egypt).
When is the draw?
The draw for the quarter-finals stage will take place on Tuesday March 12.
When will we be in action?
Our first leg game is scheduled to take place on March 31 at the Godswill Akpabio International stadium in Uyo
