CAF Confederation 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.

CAF Confederation Cup
Organising bodyCAF
Founded2004 (2004)
RegionAfrica
Number of teams
  • 16 (group stage)
  • 59 (total)
Qualifier forCAF Super Cup
Related competitionsCAF Champions League
Current champions RS Berkane (2nd title)
Most successful club(s) CS Sfaxien (3 titles)
Websitecafonline.com/confederation-cup
2022–23 CAF Confederation Cup

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 (7 titles), followed by Tunisia with 5. Morocco have the largest number of winning teams, with five clubs from each having won the title. The competition has been won by 13 clubs, 5 of which have won it more than once. CS Sfaxien is the most successful club in the competition's history, having won the tournament a record 3 times. RS Berkane are the current defending champions, having beaten Orlando Pirates by penalties in the 2022 Final.[1]

History

Winners
CAF Cup / CAF Confederation Cup
SeasonCAF Cup
2004 Hearts of Oak
2005 ASFAR
2006 Étoile du Sahel
2007 CS Sfaxien
2008 CS Sfaxien (2)
2009 Stade Malien
2010 FUS de Rabat
2011 MAS Fez
2012 AC Léopards
2013 CS Sfaxien (3)
2014 Al Ahly
2015 Étoile du Sahel (2)
2016 TP Mazembe
2017 TP Mazembe (2)
2018 Raja CA
2019 Zamalek SC
2020 RS Berkane
2021 Raja CA (2)
2022 RS Berkane (2)

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 been considered the second 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 ES 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, CS Sfaxien again won the cup against another Tunisian club, ES 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 CS 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 SC obtained its first confederation cup by beating the Ivorian club Séwé FC.[12] In 2015, ES 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]

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.[21]

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. The sixteen teams eliminated from the first qualifying round of the CAF Champions League enter the second qualifying round of this competition, unless they are eliminated from there as well.

Main Phase

  • The sixteen winning teams from the second qualifying round enter the group stage divided into four groups of four. Each team will play against the other three opponents in a round-robin system three points for a win.
  • The group winners and runners-up qualify to a two-legged knock-out rounds which shall be played in two matches, home and away in three rounds (quarter-finals, semi-finals and the finals).
  • In case of equality in the number of goals scored during the two matches, the team scoring the greatest number of away goals will be declared winner. If the number of goals scored on the away matches is equal, kicks from the penalty mark will be taken.

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.[22]

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.[23]

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.[24]

Current Sponsors:

Title SponsorOfficial SponsorsFormer SponsorBall Supplier

Prizes

Trophy and medals

Official trophy

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.[34][35]

Final
position
Prize money
WinnerUS$1.25 million
Runner-upUS$625,000
Semi-finalistsUS$450,000
Quarter-finalistsUS$350,000
3rd in group stageUS$275,000
4th in group stageUS$275,000

Note: National Associations receive an additional equivalent share of 5% for each amount awarded to clubs.

Broadcast coverage

Below are the current broadcast rights holders of this competition:[36]

Country/Region Channels
 ASEAN beIN Sports
 Benin ORTB
 Europe Sportfive
 France beIN Sports
 Burkina Faso RTB
Latin America ESPN
 Ghana
MENA beIN Sports
 South Africa [38]
Western Balkans Sport Klub
 United States beIN Sports
Sub-Saharan Africa
East Africa

Records and statistics

All-time top scorers

Rank Nat Name Club Goals Apps
1 Ahmed Abdel-Ghani Haras El Hodoud SC 2122
2 Mouhcine Iajour RS Berkane
Raja CA
1734
Abdelmalek Ziaya ES Sétif
USM Alger
1712
4 Ahmed Eid Abdel Malek Haras El Hodoud SC 1630
5 Mahmoud Benhalib Raja CA 1530
Ahmed Raouf ENPPI SC
Al Masry SC
Smouha SC
1538
7 Trésor Mputu Mazembe 1419
Mohamed Aziz (footballer) RS Berkane 1451
9 Rainford Kalaba Mazembe 1326
Abdallah El Said Al Ahly SC
Ismaily SC
Pyramids FC
1366
Kelechi Osunwa Dolphin F.C. (Nigeria)
Al-Merrikh SC
Al-Ahly Shendi
13
Firas Chaouat CS Sfaxien 1339
Hamza Younés CS Sfaxien 13
Jean-Marc Makusu Mundele AS Vita Club 1321
15 Ben Malango Mazembe
Raja CA
1225
Ahmed Hassan Mekky Haras El Hodoud SC
Smouha SC
Zamalek SC
1247
Eric Bekoe Petrojet SC
Asante Kotoko S.C.
Heart of Lions F.C.
12
Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba RS Berkane 1228
Faisal Agab Al-Merrikh SC 12
Endurance Idahor Dolphin F.C. (Nigeria)
Al-Merrikh SC
12
20 Godwin Aguda Rangers International F.C.
Rivers United F.C.
1118
Islam Issa (footballer) Haras El Hodoud SC
Pyramids FC
1150
Baghdad Bounedjah Étoile Sportive du Sahel 1113
Emeka Opara Étoile Sportive du Sahel 11
Eric Gawu King Faisal Babes F.C. 11
25 Kamilou Daouda Coton Sport FC de Garoua
CS Sfaxien
Al-Ittihad Club (Tripoli)
1024
John Antwi Ismaily SC
Misr Lel Makkasa SC
Pyramids FC
Al Ahly SC
1031
Abdessamad Rafik Wydad AC
Olympic Club de Safi
Ittihad Tanger
Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi
10
Alaeddine Marzouki CS Sfaxien 1025
Jeremy Brockie SuperSport United F.C.
Mamelodi Sundowns F.C.
1017

Finals

Performances

Overall winners

Performance in the CAF Confederation Cup by club
Club
Titles Runners-up Seasons won Seasons runners-up
CS Sfaxien 3 1 2007, 2008, 2013 2010
Étoile du Sahel 2 1 2006, 2015 2008
RS Berkane 2 1 2020, 2022 2019
TP Mazembe 2 1 2016, 2017 2013
Raja Casablanca 2 0 2018, 2021
FAR Rabat 1 1 2005 2006
Hearts of Oak 1 0 2004
Stade Malien 1 0 2009
FUS Rabat 1 0 2010
MAS Fez 1 0 2011
AC Léopards 1 0 2012
Al Ahly 1 0 2014
Zamalek 1 0 2019
Orlando Pirates 0 2 2015, 2022
Asante Kotoko 0 1 2004
Dolphins FC 0 1 2005
Al-Merrikh 0 1 2007
ES Sétif 0 1 2009
Club Africain 0 1 2011
Djoliba AC 0 1 2012
Séwé Sport 0 1 2014
MO Béjaïa 0 1 2016
SuperSport United 0 1 2017
AS Vita Club 0 1 2018
Pyramids 0 1 2020
JS Kabylie 0 1 2021

Overall performances by country

Performance by nation
Nation Winners Runners-up Total
 Morocco 7 2 9
 Tunisia 5 3 8
 DR Congo 2 2 4
 Egypt 2 1 3
 Ghana 1 1 2
 Mali 1 1 2
 Congo 1 0 1
 Algeria 0 3 3
 South Africa 0 3 3
 Ivory Coast 0 1 1
 Nigeria 0 1 1
 Sudan 0 1 1

Champions by region

Federation (Region) Champion(s) Number
UNAF (North Africa) CS Sfaxien (3), ES Sahel (2), Raja CA (2), RS Berkane (2), Al Ahly (1), FAR Rabat (1), FUS Rabat (1), MAS Fez (1), Zamalek (1) 14 titles
UNIFFAC (Central Africa) TP Mazembe (2), AC Léopards (1) 3 titles
WAFU (West Africa) Hearts of Oak (1), Stade Malien (1) 2 titles
CECAFA (East Africa) 0 titles
COSAFA (Southern Africa) 0 titles

See also

References

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  2. "African Club Competitions 2004". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  3. "African Club Competitions 2005". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  4. "African Club Competitions 2006". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  5. "African Club Competitions 2007". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  6. "African Club Competitions 2008". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  7. "African Club Competitions 2009". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  8. "African Club Competitions 2010". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  9. "African Club Competitions 2011". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  10. "African Club Competitions 2012". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  11. "African Club Competitions 2013". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  12. "African Club Competitions 2014". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  13. "African Club Competitions 2015". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  14. "African Club Competitions 2016". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  15. "African Club Competitions 2017". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  16. "Raja Casablanca win 2018 Confed Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  17. "Confederation Cup final: Zamalek defeat Berkane 5-3 on penalties | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  18. Staff writer. "Morocco's RS Berkane Wins CAF Confederation Cup". Morocco world news. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  19. "Raja Casablanca v Kabylie Match Report, 10/07/2021, CAF Confederation Cup | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  20. "RS Berkane win shoot-out to lift Confederation Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  21. "Regulations of the Confederation Cup 2006 - 2008" (PDF). CAF. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  22. "CAF signs sponsorship deal". BBC News. 21 October 2004. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  23. "Orange signs deal to sponsor African soccer competitions". Reuters. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  24. "Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football". CAFOnline.com. 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 25 July 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  25. "Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football". CAF. 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  26. "Orange signs new eight-year partnership with CAF". CAF. 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  27. "1xBet - Official sponsor of the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) tournaments". CAFOnline.com. 6 February 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  28. Glendinning, Matthew (6 January 2022). "TikTok signs one-year CAF sponsorship, Umbro inks technical deal". SportBusiness. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  29. "TikTok unites African football fans through partnership with Confederation of African Football". TikTok Newsroom. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  30. "TikTok signs one-year CAF sponsorship deal". Soccerex. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  31. "QNET announces Sponsorship of Total CAF Champions League, Total CAF Confederation Cup, Total CAF Super Cup". CAF. 24 February 2018. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  32. "BUILDING AFRICAN FOOTBALL TOGETHER: UMBRO AND CAF ENTER INTO MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP". CAFOnline.com. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  33. Thakur, Soumik (6 January 2022). "Umbro pens down sponsorship deal with CAF". SportsMint Media. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  34. "CAF Executive Committee decisions". CAFOnline.com. 16 September 2009. Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  35. "Prize money for CAF competitions effective 2017". CAFOnline.com. 9 November 2016. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  36. "CAF appoints Broadcast Services partners for 2022-2023" (Press release). CAF. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  37. "StarTimes acquires broadcast rights of CAF Inter-Club competitions". Graphic Online. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  38. "Supersport and SABC share coverage of Caf Champions League final in late deal". Sportcal. GlobalData. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
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