Champions League: Egypt’s CAF Expansion Proposal Unlikely for 2026-2027 Season

Rabat – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is not expected to increase the number of clubs competing in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup for the 2026-2027 season, despite a proposal from the Egyptian Football Association, according to SNRT News.

Citing a source inside CAF, SNRT News reported that the committee responsible for organizing African club competitions is not currently discussing the proposal. As a result, the existing qualification system will remain in place unless CAF makes an official announcement in the future.

The Egyptian Football Association recently submitted a proposal asking CAF to grant each member association an additional place in both continental competitions. The extra spots would be allocated based on CAF’s ranking of national associations.

The proposal generated widespread attention in Egyptian media, with some reports suggesting it could be approved before the new season. However, SNRT News says no CAF official has confirmed those claims.

The idea of expanding participation is not new. CAF has discussed similar plans in recent years as part of broader efforts to improve its club competitions and increase their sporting and commercial value.

One proposal suggested giving the top African leagues three places in the CAF Champions League and three in the CAF Confederation Cup instead of the current two places in each competition. Countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and South Africa would likely benefit because of their strong CAF rankings. However, the proposal has never moved beyond the discussion stage.

A controversial timing

The timing of Egypt’s latest request has also sparked debate. It came after Al Ahly finished third in the Egyptian Premier League. Under the current rules, the club would qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup rather than the CAF Champions League, an unusual situation for Africa’s most successful club.

Some observers have linked the proposal to Al Ahly’s league finish, noting that the Egyptian Football Association did not submit a similar request in previous seasons when the club regularly qualified for the Champions League.

For now, the current qualification system remains unchanged. In Morocco, MAS Fes and RS Berkane have qualified for the CAF Champions League after finishing first and second in the Botola Pro. Raja Casablanca secured a place in the CAF Confederation Cup by finishing third.

Morocco’s second Confederation Cup spot is still undecided because the Throne Cup has not yet been completed. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation must finalize the country’s fourth continental representative before CAF’s registration deadline later this month.

According to SNRT News, all indications suggest the 2026-2027 African club season will begin under the existing format. CAF could consider expanding participation in the future, but for now, there are no plans to add more places in either competition.