Cairo, Egypt – African clubs aiming to participate in the 2024-2025 CAF Women’s Champions League have learned their opponents as Africa football governing body, CAF conducted the draw for the qualifiers on Wednesday at it’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
Seven clubs are competing in the qualifiers in the West African Football Union (WAFU) B section.The teams are divided into two groups, one with three teams and the other with four. Group A consists of FC Inter Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Ainovi FC (Benin) and Togo’s ASKO. Group B features West African giants Hasaacas Ladies (Ghana), Edo Queens (Nigeria), Omnisports Etincelle (Burkina Faso) and AS Garde Nationale (Niger). This qualifying tournament is scheduled to take place from August 10 to 23 in Ivory Coast.
The top two teams in each of the groups advance to the semifinals, with only the winner of the competition advancing to the continental finals later this year.
Meanwhile, eight football clubs will slug it out at the qualifiers in the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) zone. Green Buffaloes of Zambia have been pitted with South African side University of Western Cape (UWC), Herentals Queens from Zimbabwe and FC Ongos of Namibia in the Group A. Group B contains Gaborone United of Botswana, União Desportiva de Lichinga from Mozambique and Malawi’s Ascent Soccer Academy, and Young Buffaloes from Eswatini. The qualifiers will take place in Malawi from August 15-24.
Two-time African champions Mamelodi Sundowns have already qualified as holders, thus exempted from the qualifiers.
In the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) section, Kenya Police of Kenya, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Yei Joint FC of South Sudan, Warriors Queens of Zanzibar and Rayon Sports Women of Rwanda have been placed in Group A. Group B comprises Simba Queens of Tanzania, FAD Djibouti, Kawempe Muslim Ladies of Uganda and Burundian club PVP Buyenzi. The CECAFA Zone qualifiers has been scheduled for Ethiopia from August 17th to September 4th.
Four clubs with battle for a sole ticket from August 16-24 in the Central African Football Federations’ Union, officially abbreviated (UNIFFAC) zone. The teams are, Lekié FF (Cameroon), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Atlético de Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and CSM Diables Noirs (Congo).
In the same vein, four clubs will also fight for a ticket in the Union of North African Football (UNAF) zone from August 21-31. Giant of the region, AS Far (Morocco), CF Akbou (Algeria), Tutankhamun (Egypt) and ASF Sousse (Tunisia) will participate in the qualifiers.
All winners of each region will earn a ticket to the CAF Women’s Champions League.
