CAF Confederation Cup explained

Current:2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup
Organiser:CAF
Region:Africa
Related Comps:CAF Champions League
Qualifier For:CAF Super Cup

The CAF Confederation Cup, known as the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup for sponsorship purposes, is an annual association football club competition established in 2004 from a merger of the CAF Cup and the African Cup Winners' Cup and organized by CAF.[1]

Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. It is the second-tier competition of African club football, ranking below the CAF Champions League. The winner of the tournament faces the winner of the aforementioned competition in the following season's CAF Super Cup.

Moroccan clubs have the highest number of victories (seven titles), followed by Tunisia with five. Morocco has the largest number of winning teams, with five clubs having won the title. The competition has been won by 13 clubs, five of which have won it more than once. Club Sfaxien is the most successful club in the competition's history, having won the tournament three times. Zamalek are the current defending champions, having beaten RS Berkane in the 2024 final.

History

Winners
CAF Confederation Cup
Season Winner
Hearts of Oak
ASFAR
Étoile du Sahel
CS Sfaxien
CS Sfaxien 
Stade Malien
FUS de Rabat
MAS Fez
AC Léopards
CS Sfaxien 
Al Ahly
Étoile du Sahel 
TP Mazembe
TP Mazembe 
Raja CA
Zamalek
RS Berkane
Raja CA 
RS Berkane 
USM Alger
Zamalek 

2004–2017: Beginnings, Tunisian dominance

In 2004, CAF merged the African Cup Winners' Cup created in 1975 with the CAF Cup introduced in 1992 to form a new competition called the Confederation Cup, which has since become the secondary African club competition.

In the first edition, the Ghanaian club Hearts of Oak won the edition by beating another Ghanaian club, Asante Kotoko in the final on Penalties.[2] The following year, Moroccan club AS FAR won the cup against Nigeria's Dolphin FC.[3] In 2006, Tunisian club Étoile du Sahel won the cup against Moroccan AS FAR (thanks to the away goals rule).[4]

The Tunisian club CS Sfaxien won the cup in 2007 by beating the Sudanese Al Merreikh 5 goals to 2 in aggregate score (4-2, 1-0).[5] The following season, Club Sfaxien again won the cup against another Tunisian club, Étoile du Sahel.[6] In 2009, Stade Malien won the edition by beating the Algerian club ES Sétif in the final, on penalties.[7] The following season, the Moroccan club Fath Union Sport won the cup against Tunisian Club Sfaxien, winning the return match 3 to 2.[8]

In 2011, Moroccan club Maghreb Fès defeated Tunisia's Club Africain in the final, on penalties.[9] The following year, Congolese club AC Léopards beat Malian club Djoliba AC in the final.[10] The 2013 edition saw CS Sfaxien win against Congolese TP Mazembe.[11] In 2014, the Egyptian club Al Ahly obtained its first confederation cup by beating the Ivorian club Séwé FC.[12] In 2015, Étoile du Sahel again won the cup by beating South African club Orlando Pirates.[13] TP Mazembe achieved the double in 2016 and 2017, beating Algerian club MO Béjaïa and South African SuperSport United respectively.[14] [15]

2018–present: Moroccan dominance

Moroccan club Raja CA won in 2018 against Congolese AS Vita Club.[16] In 2019, Zamalek SC beat Moroccan RS Berkane in the final, on Penalties.[17]

In 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the matches were then played behind closed doors, the Moroccan club RS Berkane beat the Egyptians of Pyramids FC by the score of 1 to 0.[18] Since this season, the final has been played in a single game. In 2021, the Moroccan club Raja CA won the cup for the second time by beating JS Kabylie in the final with a score of 2 to 1.[19]

In 2022, Moroccan club RS Berkane won the cup for the second time, beating South African club Orlando Pirates in the final on penalties.[20] On 3 June 2023, USM Alger became the first Algerian club to win the confederation cup after beating Young Africans in the 2023 final.[21]

Qualification

The competition is composed of domestic cup winners from all 54 CAF member associations and the third-placed-finished club in the domestic leagues of the top twelve-ranked associations discounting/excluding the present year/season.

Format

The competition is played into two phases; the qualification phase and the main phase.[22]

Qualification phase

The competition begins with a preliminary round and then a first qualifying round played in a "trim-down" knock-out format with the away goals rule serving as tiebreakers.

Main phase

The Super Cup

The winners will face the CAF Champions League winners in the CAF Super Cup the following season on the former's home venue.

Sponsorship

In October 2004, MTN contracted a four-year deal to sponsor CAF's competitions worth US$12.5 million, which at that time was the biggest sponsorship deal in African sporting history.[23]

In 2008, CAF put a value of €100 million for a comprehensive and long-term package of its competitions when it opened tenders for a new sponsor, which was scooped up by French telecommunications giant Orange through the signing of an eight-year deal in July the following year, whose terms were not disclosed.[24]

On 21 July 2016, French energy and petroleum giant Total S.A. (renamed TotalEnergies in 2021) secured an eight-year sponsorship package from CAF to sponsor its competitions, beginning with its flagship competition, the Africa Cup of Nations.[25]

Current Sponsors:

Prizes

Trophy and medals

Each year, the winning team is presented with the African Champion Clubs' Cup, the current version of which has been awarded since the competition name change in 1997. Forty gold medals are presented to the competition winners and 40 silver medals to the runners-up.

2009–2020

CAF increased the prize money to be shared between the top 16 clubs.[35] [36]

Final
position		Prize money
WinnerUS$1,250,000
Runner-upUS$625,000
Semi-finalists US$450,000
Quarter-finalists US$350,000
3rd in group stage US$275,000
4th in group stage US$275,000
Note: National Associations receive an additional equivalent share of 5% for each amount awarded to clubs.

2023

CAF increased the prize money to be shared between the top 8 clubs.[37]

Final
position		Prize money
WinnerUS$2,000,000
Runner-upUS$1,000,000
Semi-finalists US$750,000
Quarter-finalists US$550,000
3rd in group stage US$400,000
4th in group stage US$400,000

Broadcast coverage

Below are the current broadcast rights holders of this competition:[38]

Country/RegionChannels
AlgeriaEPTV
beIN Sports
BeninORTB
Sportfive
FrancebeIN Sports
Burkina FasoRTB
Latin AmericaESPN
Ghana
MENAbeIN Sports
South Africa[39]
Western BalkansSport Klub
United StatesbeIN Sports
Sub-Saharan Africa
East Africa

Records and statistics

See main article: CAF Confederation Cup records and statistics.

List of finals

See main article: List of CAF Confederation Cup finals.

Performance by nations

Performances in finals by nation
NationWinnersRunners-upTotal
7310
538
314
224
134
112
112
101
033
011
011
011
011

Champions by region

Federation (Region)Champion(s)Titles
UNAF (North Africa)Club Sfaxien (3), Étoile du Sahel (2), Raja CA (2), RS Berkane (2), Zamalek (2), Al Ahly (1), FAR Rabat (1), FUS Rabat (1), MAS Fez (1), USM Alger (1)16
UNIFFAC (Central Africa)TP Mazembe (2), AC Léopards (1)3
WAFU (West Africa)Hearts of Oak (1), Stade Malien (1)2
CECAFA (East Africa)0
COSAFA (Southern Africa)0

Top goalscorers

YearFootballerClubGoals
2004 Ugochukwu Okeke
Christopher Katongo		 Enugu Rangers
Green Buffaloes		5
2005 Eric Gawu
Khalid El Hirech
Kelechi Osunwa		 King Faisal Babes
AS Marsa
Dolphins FC		7
2006 Manucho Petro Atlético8
2007 Trésor Mputu TP Mazembe11
2008 Asante Kotoko10
2009 Abdelmalek Ziaya15
2010 Ahmed Abdel-Ghani Haras El Hodood7
2011 Salakiaku Matondo DC Motema Pembe6
2012 Rudy Ndey
Ismaïla Diarra
Edward Sadomba		 AC Léopards
Cercle Olympique de Bamako
Al-Hilal		5
2013 ENPPI
TP Mazembe
Liga Muçulmana		6
2014 AC Léopards
How Mine
ASEC Mimosas		6
2015 Baghdad Bounedjah
Georges Ambourouet
Thamsanqa Gabuza		 Étoile du Sahel
CF Mounana
Orlando Pirates		6
2016 TP Mazembe7
2017 Ben Malango TP Mazembe6
2018 Mahmoud Benhalib Raja CA9
2019 Waleed Al-Shoala Al-Hilal7
2020 Karim El Berkaoui Hassania Agadir8
2021 Ben Malango Raja CA6
2022 Victorien Adebayor USGN6
2023 Fiston Kalala Mayele Young Africans7
align=center rowspan="4"20244
USM Alger
Dreams FC
John Antwi

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Football . CAF-Confedération Africaine du . CAFOnline.com . 2023-04-02 . CAFOnline.com . en . 10 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221210051316/https://www.cafonline.com/competitions/caf-competitions/ . live .
  2. Web site: African Club Competitions 2004 . 2022-10-27 . . 7 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221007230553/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup04.html#confed . live .
  3. Web site: African Club Competitions 2005 . 2022-10-27 . . 24 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220724105144/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup05.html#confed . live .
  4. Web site: African Club Competitions 2006 . 2022-10-27 . . 24 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220724105150/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup06.html#confed . live .
  5. Web site: African Club Competitions 2007 . 2022-10-27 . . 29 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929164127/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup07.html#confed . live .
  6. Web site: African Club Competitions 2008 . 2022-10-27 . . 30 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730154317/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup08.html#confed . live .
  7. Web site: African Club Competitions 2009 . 2022-10-27 . . 24 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924221319/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup09.html#confed . live .
  8. Web site: African Club Competitions 2010 . 2022-10-27 . . 4 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220804050202/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup2010.html#confed . live .
  9. Web site: African Club Competitions 2011 . 2022-10-27 . . 28 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221128143205/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup2011.html#confed . live .
  10. Web site: African Club Competitions 2012 . 2022-10-27 . . 29 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929172906/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup2012.html#confed . live .
  11. Web site: African Club Competitions 2013 . 2022-10-27 . . 29 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929170445/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup2013.html#confed . live .
  12. Web site: African Club Competitions 2014 . 2022-10-27 . . 29 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929184435/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup2014.html#confed . live .
  13. Web site: African Club Competitions 2015 . 2022-10-29 . . 29 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929212309/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup2015.html#confed . live .
  14. Web site: African Club Competitions 2016 . 2022-10-29 . . 7 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221007222447/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup2016.html#confed . live .
  15. Web site: African Club Competitions 2017 . 2022-10-29 . . 29 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200729103018/http://rsssf.com/tablesa/afcup2017.html#confed . live .
  16. News: Raja Casablanca win 2018 Confed Cup . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-29 . 20 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221120230302/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46420573 . live .
  17. Web site: Confederation Cup final: Zamalek defeat Berkane 5-3 on penalties Goal.com . 2022-10-29 . www.goal.com . 20 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221120230302/https://www.goal.com/en/news/confederation-cup-final-zamalek-defeat-berkane-on-penalties/151yye5e8s03z1p3xjjhln0nhn . live .
  18. News: Staff writer . Morocco's RS Berkane Wins CAF Confederation Cup . Morocco world news . 29 October 2022 . 20 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221120230305/https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/10/323694/moroccos-rs-berkane-wins-caf-confederation-cup . live .
  19. Web site: Raja Casablanca v Kabylie Match Report, 10/07/2021, CAF Confederation Cup Goal.com . 2022-10-29 . www.goal.com . 20 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221120230304/https://www.goal.com/en-bh/match/raja-casablanca-v-kabylie/report/7elpzvgmshzjbcb4ce3exk6c4 . live .
  20. News: RS Berkane win shoot-out to lift Confederation Cup . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-29 . 4 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221104190000/https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/61532254 . live .
  21. Web site: Football . CAF-Confedération Africaine du . USM Alger clinch first ever continental title with TotalEnergies CAF CC win Total CAF Confederation Cup . 2023-06-11 . CAFOnline.com . en . 8 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230908074532/https://www.cafonline.com/caf-confederation-cup/news/usm-alger-clinch-first-ever-continental-title-with-totalenergies-caf-cc-win/ . live .
  22. Web site: Regulations of the Confederation Cup 2006 - 2008. CAF. 2006. 12 December 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071207160850/http://www.cafonline.com/modules/documents/upload/1256.pdf. 7 December 2007.
  23. Web site: CAF signs sponsorship deal. 21 October 2004. BBC News. 14 February 2018. 2 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190602085134/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3763112.stm. live.
  24. Web site: Orange signs deal to sponsor African soccer competitions. 28 July 2009. Reuters. 12 February 2018. 2 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190602085134/https://www.reuters.com/article/ozabs-soccer-africa-sponsor-20090728-idAFJOE56R0N320090728. live.
  25. Web site: Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football. CAFOnline.com. 21 July 2016. 30 January 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160725090618/http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=z5SPEjKTyig8WgDEfOXGfg%3D%3D. 25 July 2016.
  26. Web site: 21 July 2016. Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20210206144219/http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=z5SPEjKTyig8WgDEfOXGfg%3D%3D. 6 February 2021. CAF. 23 February 2017.
  27. Web site: 16 December 2016. Orange signs new eight-year partnership with CAF. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200724164409/http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=FTlYXZ1pzZ2c71L90kJHEw%3D%3D. CAF. 24 July 2020. 22 July 2019.
  28. Web site: 6 February 2019. 1xBet - Official sponsor of the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) tournaments. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190525170651/http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=QlQOHG4iRiF0Q%2BJYqmtB%2Bw%3D%3D. CAFOnline.com. 25 May 2019. 22 July 2019.
  29. Web site: Matthew. Glendinning. 6 January 2022. TikTok signs one-year CAF sponsorship, Umbro inks technical deal. SportBusiness. 30 May 2022. 8 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220308195155/https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/tiktok-signs-one-year-caf-sponsorship-umbro-inks-technical-deal/. live.
  30. Web site: 6 January 2022. TikTok unites African football fans through partnership with Confederation of African Football. TikTok Newsroom. 30 May 2022. 27 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220627060722/https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-africa/tiktok-sponsors-caf. live.
  31. Web site: 6 January 2022. TikTok signs one-year CAF sponsorship deal. Soccerex. 30 May 2022. 9 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220109130538/https://www.soccerex.com/insight/articles/2021/tiktok-signs-one-year-caf-sponsorship-deal. dead.
  32. Web site: QNET announces Sponsorship of Total CAF Champions League, Total CAF Confederation Cup, Total CAF Super Cup. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180301041204/http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=gj3%2Ff24rKUQ1ubk9Zg5ilg%3D%3D. 1 March 2018. CAF. 24 February 2018. 12 May 2018.
  33. Web site: 5 January 2022. BUILDING AFRICAN FOOTBALL TOGETHER: UMBRO AND CAF ENTER INTO MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP. CAFOnline.com. 30 May 2022. 2 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220602132819/https://www.cafonline.com/total-africa-cup-of-nations/news/building-african-football-together-umbro-and-caf-enter-into-multi-year-partnersh. live.
  34. Web site: Soumik. Thakur. 6 January 2022. Umbro pens down sponsorship deal with CAF. SportsMint Media. 30 May 2022. 13 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220913002056/https://sportsmintmedia.com/umbro-pens-down-sponsorship-deal-with-caf/. live.
  35. Web site: CAF Executive Committee decisions. CAFOnline.com. 16 September 2009. 12 February 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20091227100946/http://www.cafonline.com/competition/can-u-17_2009/news/3403-caf-executive-committee-decisions.html. 27 December 2009.
  36. Web site: dead. 9 November 2016. Prize money for CAF competitions effective 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20161112123821/http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=dnVyYCeuQjEqqxoF5ojzeQ%3D%3D. 12 November 2016. CAFOnline.com. 9 July 2018.
  37. Web site: Football . CAF-Confedération Africaine du . CAF Interclub Prize Money Breakdown: TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup . 2023-05-19 . CAFOnline.com . en . 22 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230522092535/https://www.cafonline.com/press-release/news/caf-interclub-prize-money-breakdown-totalenergies-caf-champions-league-and-total . live .
  38. 21 December 2021. CAF appoints Broadcast Services partners for 2022-2023. CAF. 23 January 2022.
  39. News: 19 July 2021. Supersport and SABC share coverage of Caf Champions League final in late deal. Sportcal. GlobalData. 19 January 2022.

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