African Club Teams Shine in CAF Champions League: Exciting Qualifiers from Tunisia, Morocco, and Beyond
Fez•October 26, 2026•3 min read The recent matches in the CAF Champions League have highlighted the impressive performances of several African club teams, particularly showcasing the thrilling qualifications of Tunisian Club Africain, Moroccan club FUS Rabat, and Sudanese powerhouse Al-Hilal. On October 25, 2026, Club Africain secured their place in the group stage of the prestigious tournament by defeating TP Mazembe, a Congolese team that has won the title five times.
Meanwhile, FUS Rabat clinched a dramatic victory with a last-minute goal in stoppage time to eliminate Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas, ensuring their advance to the group stage as well. Club Africain's Return to Glory Club Africain of Tunisia has made a triumphant return to the group stage for the first time since the 2018-2019 season, following a remarkable victory against the five-time champions TP Mazembe.
After securing a valuable 1-1 draw in Lubumbashi the previous weekend, the Tunisian team completed their mission successfully at the Hamadi Agrebi Stadium on Sunday, guaranteeing their spot in the group stage. Thaddeus Nkingi scored the only goal of the match just before halftime, leading the team, which won the title in 1991, back to the group stage after an eight-year hiatus.
FUS Rabat's Late Joy and Shock for ASEC Mimosas FUS Rabat experienced a dramatic turnaround, celebrating a late goal that stunned ASEC Mimosas. After having conceded a stoppage-time goal in the first leg, which ended in a 1-1 draw in Fes, FUS Rabat managed to score the winning goal in the seventh minute of injury time, shocking their Ivorian hosts and securing their place in the group stage amidst raucous celebrations.
Following a goalless first half, Christopher Ibai opened the scoring for FUS Rabat, the previous season's Moroccan league champions, at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. Kevin Bakira equalized in the 73rd minute, and as the match seemed destined for penalties, Khalid Baba clinched a last-gasp winner for FUS Rabat, leaving ASEC Mimosas players and fans in shock.
Players of FUS Rabat are now eagerly awaiting the draw for the group stage, which will take place next Wednesday. Al-Hilal Advances with Ease Sudanese giant Al-Hilal navigated through to the lucrative group stage with relative ease, repeating their first-leg victory over Ethiopian side Sidama Bunna with a 2-0 win at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, thereby qualifying with a total score of 4-0 across both matches.
Ernest Luzolo Sita opened the scoring for Al-Hilal in the 33rd minute, with Mohammed Abdel Rahman adding a second goal in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time. The second half saw no changes to the score, ensuring Al-Hilal's seamless qualification to the group stage with an impressive performance.
Nouadhibou's Remarkable Comeback In Nouakchott, Mauritania's Nouadhibou achieved a remarkable comeback by defeating San Pedro of Ivory Coast 2-0, securing their place in the group stage with a total aggregate of 3-2 over the two legs. After losing the first leg 2-1 in San Pedro, Nouadhibou was under pressure to win at home, a challenge they met with great skill at the Cheikhha Ould Bidiya Stadium.
Cartier Dembélé put Nouadhibou ahead in the 10th minute, before Sheikh Hatab added a second goal for the Mauritanian champions, allowing the club to reach the group stage for only the second time in its history.