Zamalek drawn with Al Masry, Chiefs

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Nov 03, 2025. 13:41

Egyptian giants Zamalek have been pooled with compatriots Al Masry, as well as South African heavyweights Kaizer Chiefs, in the group stage draw for the 2025-26 CAF Confederation Cup, conducted in Johannesburg on Monday afternoon.

The White Knights – two-time CAFCC champions (2018-19 and 2023-24) – were the top-ranked team in the draw, but had the misfortune of being placed in the ‘group of death’ alongside fellow Egyptian Premier League side Al Masry, Kaizer Chiefs (African Cup Winners’ Cup winners in 2001 and CAF Champions League runners-up in 2020-21) and Zambia’s highly-decorated Zesco United.

USM Alger – champions of the CAFCC in 2022-23 – are in Group A alongside Mali’s Djoliba Bamako, OC Safi of Morocco and Ivory Coast club San Pedro.

Group B is comprised of three-time Champions League winners Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, DR Congo’s AS Maniema, and the East African duo of Azam FC (Tanzania) and Nairobi United (Kenya).

Group C’s seeded team is CR Belouizdad of Algeria (Champions League group stage participants for the last five seasons running), who will battle South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC (CAFCC semifinalists in 2024-25), Congo’s AS Otoho and Singida Black Stars of Tanzania.

The group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup will get underway on the weekend of 21-23 November.

CAF Confederation Cup group stage draw

Group A

– USM Alger (Algeria)

– Djoliba Bamako (Mali)

– OC Safi (Morocco)

– FC San Pedro (Ivory Coast)

Group B

– Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)

– AS Maniema (DR Congo)

– Azam FC (Tanzania)

– Nairobi United (Kenya)

Group C

– CR Belouizdad (Algeria)

– Stellenbosch FC (South Africa)

– AS Otoho (Congo)

– Singida Black Stars (Tanzania)

Group D

– Zamalek (Egypt)

– Al Masry (Egypt)

– Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)

– Zesco United (Zambia)