The CAF Champions League has undergone remarkable changes in its format, prize money, sponsorship, and branding since its inception in 1965.
This prestigious club competition brings together the league champions from all member associations of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), along with the top-performing clubs from the strongest leagues.
In this article, we'll explore the history of the CAF Champions League and highlight the clubs and countries that have achieved the most titles.
How does the CAF Champions League work?
The competition is open to the league champions of all member associations of the Confederation of African Football. Additionally, it is also open to the clubs finishing second in the strongest leagues according to the CAF 5-Year Ranking. Furthermore, the defending champions of the competition are eligible to participate as well.
The CAF Champions League operates primarily as a knockout competition, with trim-down qualification rounds, a group stage, a two-legged knockout stage and a two-legged final. At the start of the competition, the 64 qualified teams enter 2 qualification rounds: the preliminary stage and the first round.
The tournament was known as the African Cup of Champions Clubs until the 1997 season when it was renamed. Over the years, teams from various nations have fiercely competed for continental glory.
Notably, Al Ahly FC of Egypt stands out as the CAF Champions League most winners in history, clinching the title a record 12 times after beating Esperance 1-0 on aggregate in the 2024 final game.
They're currently the CAF Champions League winners 2024, winning the competition in four of the last five editions as at 2024.
We Are The Famous Al Ahly .. We Are The CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA 👊 pic.twitter.com/eDsk8maxmD
— Al Ahly SC 🇬🇧 (@AlAhlyEnglish) May 25, 2024
Memorable triumphs
The 2018-19 edition of the CAF Champions League witnessed ES Tunis emerge as champions after a dramatic turn of events in the final against the moroccan champions Wydad AC. In protest against a disallowed goal, Wydad AC abandoned the May 31st final game, handing ES Tunis their fourth CAFCL title.
A rich legacy
The list of past winners reflects the diverse and competitive nature of African football. From the early years of Oryx Douala from Cameroon and Stade Abidjan from Ivory Coast to the recent victories of Wydad AC from Morocco and Al Ahly from Egypt, each champion has left an indelible mark on the history of the tournament. Clubs like TP Mazembe from Congo DR and Zamalek from Egypt have also enjoyed multiple triumphs, showcasing their dominance in African football.
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CAF Champions League Winners Since 1995 to 2023 |
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| Year | Winner | ||
| 1965 | Oryx Douala | ||
| 1966 | Stade Abidjan | ||
| 1967 | TP Mazembe | ||
| 1968 | TP Mazembe | ||
| 1969 | Ismaily | ||
| 1970 | Asante Kotoko | ||
| 1971 | Canon Younde | ||
| 1972 | Hafia FC | ||
| 1973 | AS Vita Club | ||
| 1974 | CARA | ||
| 1975 | Hafia FC | ||
| 1976 | MC Alger | ||
| 1977 | Hafia FC | ||
| 1978 | Canon Younde | ||
| 1979 | Union Sportiva Douala | ||
| 1980 | Canon Younde | ||
| 1981 | JE Tizi-Ouzou | ||
| 1982 | Al Ahly | ||
| 1983 | Asante Kotoko | ||
| 1984 | Zamalek | ||
| 1985 | FAR de Rabat | ||
| 1986 | Zamalek | ||
| 1987 | Al Ahly | ||
| 1988 | ES Setif | ||
| 1989 | Raja Casablanca | ||
| 1990 | JS Kabylie | ||
| 1991 | Club Africain | ||
| 1992 | Wydad AC | ||
| 1993 | Zamalek | ||
| 1994 | Esperance de Tunis | ||
| 1995 | Orlando Pirates | ||
| 1996 | Zamalek | ||
| 1997 | Raja Casablanca | ||
| 1998 | ASEC Mimosas | ||
| 1999 | Raja Casablanca | ||
| 2000 | Hearts of Oak | ||
| 2001 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2002 | Zamalek | ||
| 2003 | Enyimba FC | ||
| 2004 | Enyimba FC | ||
| 2005 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2006 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2007 | Etoile du Sahel | ||
| 2008 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2009 | TP Mazembe | ||
| 2010 | TP Mazembe | ||
| 2011 | Esperance de Tunis | ||
| 2012 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2013 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2014 | ES Setif | ||
| 2015 | TP Mazembe | ||
| 2016 | Mamelodi Sundowns | ||
| 2017 | Wydad AC | ||
| 2018 | Esperance de Tunis | ||
| 2019 | Esperance de Tunis | ||
| 2020 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2021 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2022 | Wydad AC | ||
| 2023 | Al Ahly | ||
| 2024 | Al Ahly | ||
That’s the full list of the CAF Champions League past winners. You can see all their prize money here.
This article was most recently revised and updated 5 months ago
