CAF Champions League 2025-26 Predictions & Betting tips
Join us at SportyTrader, where we unravel expert insights and provide accurate predictions as we journey into the heart of African club footballing excellence - the CAF Champions League 2025-26!
CAF Champions League 2025-26 presentation and predictions
The CAF Champions League, the crown jewel of African club football, is upon us, and SportyTrader will be covering the marquee event every step of the way through the 2025-26 campaign.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane. The CAF Champions League has an incredible history that dates back 60 years to 1964. Over the years, football clubs from across Africa have battled to be crowned the champions of the continent, but only a few have earned the prestigious title.
Teams like TP Mazembe, Wydad Casablanca, Al-Ahly, and Mamelodi Sundowns have all left an indelible mark on the competition, but the big question remains - who will emerge as the African powerhouse in 2025-26? Find out everything you need to know about Africa’s biggest club football competition below!
2025-26 CAF Champions League final prediction: who will win the title?
The 2025-26 CAF Champions League could well come down to a battle between the two top Egyptian powerhouses at the moment: Al-Ahly and Pyramids.
Al-Ahly are the unquestioned kings of this competition having lifted the trophy a record 12 times. They’ve also been crowned champions in four of the last six editions and their pedigree on this stage is unmatched. Regular winners of the Egyptian Premier League (eight of the last 10 titles), widely considered to be the toughest domestic league on the continent, Al-Ahly have been at the top of African football for a long time. After the disappointment in the previous CAF Champions League campaign, we’re expecting them to bounce back with a strong performance this year.
Pyramids, meanwhile, are a club on the ascendency. They’ve seen a rapid rise since their rebranding and move to Cairo in 2018 and are the defending champions after beating out South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns. While they have yet to break through domestically and win the Egyptian Premier League, their performance last year shows that they are going to be a force in African football for many years to come. Getting in early by backing one of these two teams to be crowned champions looks a safe bet.
Our 2025-26 CAF Champions League prediction: Al-Ahly or Pyramids champions of Africa!
Who will be the top scorer in the CAF Champions League 2025-26?
Last year saw Pyramids’ Fiston Mayele lead the way for the champions by netting six goals in the 2024-25 edition, including in the first leg of the final.
After making the switch over from fellow Egyptian club Zemelak in the summer, Al-Ahly’s new forward Zizo has already hit the ground running at his new club. The 29-year-old has scored two goals and laid on two assists in his first two domestic league matches, pointing towards a potentially huge statistical year.
With Al-Ahly projected to make a deep run this year, Zizo could represent good value to claim the golden boot. Our 2025-26 CAF Champions League prediction: Al-Ahly’s Zizo top goalscorer!
Check out a list of other players to keep an eye on that could contend for the title of top goalscorer:
- Zizo (Al-Ahly)
- Fiston Mayele (Pyramids)
- Aymen Mahious (CR Belouizdad)
- Andy Delort (MC Alger)
- Iqraam Rayners (Sundowns)
- Yan Sasse (ES Tunis)
- Oussama Lamlioui (RSB Berkane)
- Emam Ashour (Al-Ahly)
- Lucas Ribeiro (Sundowns)
- Tshegofatso Mabasa (Orlando Pirates)
- Ramadan Sobhi (Pyramids)
CAF Champions League 2025-26 group stage predictions
The groups for the 2025-26 CAF Champions League have yet to be decided. The teams are still in the process of playing the two preliminary qualifying rounds which will determine which teams make it to the group stage proper. Once this is determined we’ll be sure to give our thoughts, so check back soon!
In the meantime, you can check out the preliminary round matches below:
- AC Leopard de Dolisie vs Black Bulls Maputo
- African Stars vs Vipers SC
- Aigle Noir vs AS Ali Sabieh
- APR FC vs Pyramids FC
- AS FAN vs ES Tunis
- ASKO Kara vs RSB Berkane
- Bibiani Gold Stars vs JS Kabylie
- Cercle de Joachim vs Petro Atletico
- Colombe vs Diaraf
- Cote d’Or FC vs Stade d’Abidjan
- East End Lions vs US Monastir
- Elgeco Plus vs Silver Strikers
- Ethiopian Insurance vs Mlandege
- FC Fassell vs MC Alger
- Fundacion Bata vs FC Nouadhibou
- Gaborone United vs Simba SC
- Jamus vs Al Hilal Omdurman
- Lioli vs Orlando Pirates
- Mogadishu vs Kenya Police
- Power Dynamos vs ASEC Mimosas
- Rahimo FC vs Mangasport
- Real de Banjul vs FAR Rabat
- Remo Stars vs Zilimadjou
- Simba Borha FC vs Nsingizini
- Tempete vs Stade Malien
- Wiliete Benguela vs Young Africans
Head over to our CAF Champions League odds page and get your bets ready for the preliminary rounds and group stage!
Beginners Guide - how does the CAF Champions League 2025-26 work?
The CAF Champions League is structured to determine the best club team in Africa through a series of knockout rounds and group-stage matches.
CAF Champions League format:
- Qualification: This is where it all begins. Teams qualify for the CAF Champions League based on their performance in their respective domestic leagues. The greater an association's ranking, determined by the specified criteria, results in a higher number of teams representing the association in the Champions League and reduces the number of qualification rounds its teams are required to participate in.
- Preliminary Round: Before the actual group stage of the competition, there is a preliminary round where teams play knockout ties, and the winners advance. There are two rounds, with each round consisting of a two-legged, home and away structure. The team with the higher aggregate score advances. The second round features 32 teams going head-to-head, and only the 16 winners are allowed to advance to the group stage. The second preliminary round kicks off on 19-21 September for the first legs and sees the return legs set for 26-28 September 2025.
- Group Stage: The 16 qualified teams are divided into four groups containing four teams each. In the group stage, each team plays home and away matches against the other teams in their group. Points are awarded for wins and draws, and the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stages. The group stage is set to began on 20-21 November 2025, and the draw will be conducted after the end of the second preliminary round. Teams are seeded according to their performances in the CAF competitions for the last five seasons.
- Knockout Stages: This stage commences once the top two teams in each group have been determined after playing against every other side in the group twice. The knockout stages consist of the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the grand final. Teams compete in two-legged ties, playing one match at home and one away. The team with the higher aggregate score over the two legs advances to the next round. The quarter-final is set to be played in March 2026 and the semi-final in April 2026.
- Final: The two best club sides in Africa rise to the top to compete in the Grand Final. The final is also a two-legged encounter held at a neutral venue, and the winner is crowned the CAF Champions League champion. The 2025-26 CAF Champions League final will be played on 16 May 2026 (first leg) and 23 May 2026 (second leg).
How to make good predictions on CAF Champions League 2025-26 matches?
While there is no guaranteed method to predict the winners of every match in the CAF Champions League, SportyTrader provides you with a few crucial tips that can give you a competitive edge over the bookmakers.
Here are some of our top tips for making better betting decisions for the CAF Champions League:
- Team form and performance
- Key player analysis
- Historical head-to-head records
- Home and awaypPerformance
- Make use of reliable data
Team form and performance
Consistency in performance is a key indicator of a team's current strength and ability to compete at a high level. Take the time to analyse the recent performance of teams in their domestic leagues and previous CAF Champions League matches. A team in good form is likely to maintain its positive momentum.
Example: If a specific team has won its last five matches in the domestic league and Champions League, that suggests a high level of confidence and form, which is often a crucial factor in determining the expected performance of the side in their next match.
Key player analysis
Star players often contribute significantly to a team's success, and their form and influence on the pitch should never be overlooked. Teams that have players ranked among the top for goals scored, assists provided, and clean sheets maintained are excellent ways of determining how the side will fare in their next match. The impact of key players often extends beyond statistics and can greatly affect match outcomes.
Example: If a team’s top scorer has been involved in a high percentage of their goals and currently ranks among the top performers in their role, that player's performance could be a key predictor not just to the outcome of the match but also in terms of individual accolades.
Historical head-to-head records
Arguably the most important of all the tips listed here - analysing past matchups between teams can reveal patterns, strengths, and weaknesses that may persist in future encounters. Due to the country rankings, sides from lower-ranking associations may be dominant in their domestic league but could struggle when facing teams with greater financial means, such as Al-Ahly or Mamelodi Sundowns. If there are no head-to-head records between the sides you are looking at, search for teams that they have faced from the same country for a better understanding of their chances in the contest.
Example: If ES Tunis have never faced Al-Ahly in a previous meeting, consider searching for their performances against Pyramids, who are another Egyptian side in the competition. Pyramids finished behind Al-Ahly last season, and if ES Tunis have struggled against Pyramids, they are likely to find it difficult against Al-Ahly as well.
Home and away performance
One of the more common but still effective strategies is to consider the team’s performances at home compared to on the road. Indeed, home-field advantage is a well-known factor in football, and teams' performances in familiar versus unfamiliar environments can differ, usually with home performances being stronger. This is due to a number of factors, but the most obvious is due to their home support and familiarity with the conditions.
Example: If TP Mazembe has an impressive home record with strong fan support, they might have a higher chance of success when playing at home.
Make use of reliable data
With the world’s attention likely to be focused on the CAF Champions League, there is a plethora of information available to fans and punters alike. However, it is crucial that you only use reliable sources to guide your betting decisions. SportyTrader is one such source, as our experts take into account all of the points above as well as factors such as injury and suspension updates, the team’s tactical approaches, and even venue and weather conditions in our predictions.
Wherever possible, try using more than one source to maximise your chances of picking a winner!
What not to do for your CAF Champions League 2025-26 predictions
Now that you know what to do before making your betting predictions for the CAF Champions League, it is worth covering the most common pitfalls that you should avoid at all costs:
- Relying solely on team reputation
- Disregarding squad rotation strategies
- Ignoring external distractions such as off-field issues
- Basing predictions solely on fan expectation
- Failing to account for the team’s travel time and potential fixture congestion
- Chasing losses from a previous match by increasing bet size for the next match
- Playing accumulators and parlays with a high number of legs
Making successful predictions in the CAF Champions League requires a nuanced approach, considering a multitude of factors while avoiding common pitfalls. The key is to embrace a holistic view, acknowledging the fluid nature of football dynamics and refraining from exclusive reliance on a single criteria.
CAF Champions League 2025-26 prediction: statistics you need to know
Making use of statistics is vital to finding winning bets. To help with your betting decisions, here are a few key stats from the previously completed season (2024-25):
- Home wins: 48%
- Draws: 21%
- Away wins: 26%
- Average goals: 2.22 goals per game
- +0.5 goals: 86%
- -0.5 goals: 14%
- +1.5 goals: 61%
- -1.5 goals: 39%
- +2.5 goals: 33%
- -2.5 goals: 67%
- +3.5 goals: 21%
- -3.5 goals: 79%
- +4.5 goals: 11%
- -4.5 goals: 89%
- Goal timing distribution: 76-90 minutes (26%)
- First half goals: 43%
- Second half goals: 57%
- Average home team goals: 1.44
- Average away team goals: 0.78
- “Both teams to score: yes”: 35% of matches
- Average shots per match: 18.32 shots
- Wins by 2 goals or more (handicap): 34% of matches
- Correct score 0-0: 13.6% of matches
- Correct score 1-1: 12.9% of matches
- Most frequent score: 1-0 or 0-1 (25.8% of games)
Matches in the CAF Champions League tend to start out as cagey affairs, with teams not wanting to give up too much in the first 45 minutes (also evidenced by the 40% rate of scoreless first halves). As a result, a large portion of the goals are scored in the final 15 minutes. This can be a useful piece of information to keep in mind, especially if you are looking for live betting opportunities.
Home field advantage is also massively important in this tournament. Nearly half of the total matches ended in a home win which is significantly higher than leagues and cups in Europe, for example. Don't underestimate the importance of teams playing on their home soil! A weaker team could be good value on the double chance or handicap in these types of scenarios when playing against a stronger team on paper.
Lastly, you've likely already taken note of the low average goals total. As we mentioned before, matches in Africa's continental cup competitions often tend to be physical, defensive-focused battles. This is also represented in the very low both teams to score (BTTS) percentage, which comes in at just 35%!
In short: how to make the right CAF Champions League predictions?
To make accurate CAF Champions League predictions, consider recent team form, analyse key player performances, and review historical head-to-head records. Assessing home and away dynamics and staying updated on injuries and suspensions are also crucial in making winning predictions.
Avoid relying solely on team reputation, overlooking recent form, and underestimating underdog teams. A comprehensive analysis combining all these factors enhances the likelihood of landing a winner!
And, of course, be sure to make use of SportyTrader's football predictions to give you a competitive edge over the bookies. Let’s hit them hard for this year’s CAF Champions League!
Our CAF Champions League Predictions of the moment
There are no previews at the moment for this competition
Best Odds to bet on CAF Champions League 2025-26
Odds are not yet available for this competition.
Do you like live betting with bookmakers? You can take advantage of our CAF Champions League Livescores and CAF Champions League odds comparator tools, which are 100% free and give you all the information you need in real time. What more could you ask for?
All the images in this article come from the IMAGO website.
CAF Champions League 2025-26 : Frequently Asked Questions
The CAF Champions League is an annual continental club football competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It features the top football clubs from across Africa competing for the title of the best club team on the continent.
Al-Ahly of Cairo is the record CAF Champions League winner with 12 titles under their belt. TP Mazembe and Zamalek have won the competition five times each, and ES Tunis have claimed the trophy three times.
CAF Champions League matches are broadcast on various sports networks and streaming platforms. In most countries across Africa, the tournament can be viewed on DSTV or DSTV Now.
If you cannot watch the matches on TV, SportyTrader will be covering every match of the CAF Champions League 2025-26 on our CAF Champions League Livescores page.