The CAF Champions League is an annual soccer club tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football. Teams from top divisions across Africa compete in a group stage, followed by knockout rounds and a final.
The winner earns a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup and plays the CAF Confederation Cup winner in the CAF Super Cup while runner-ups in their national leagues qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup. This guide provides a complete list of teams that have won the CAF Champions League throughout history.
And you will:
- Find out which team has won the CAF Champions League the most times
- See which teams won the competition in specific years
- The history of the CAF Champions League
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Complete List Of All Winners By Year
| Year | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 22/23 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 21/22 | Wydad Casablanca | Morocco |
| 20/21 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 19/20 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 18/19 | Esperance Tunis | Tunisia |
| 17/18 | Esperance Tunis | Tunisia |
| 16/17 | Wydad Casablanca | Morocco |
| 15/16 | Mamelodi Sundowns FC | South Africa |
| 14/15 | TP Mazembe | DR Congo |
| 13/14 | ES Sétif | Algeria |
| 12/13 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 11/12 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 10/11 | Esperance Tunis | Tunisia |
| 09/10 | TP Mazembe | DR Congo |
| 08/09 | TP Mazembe | DR Congo |
| 07/08 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 06/07 | Etoile Sportive du Sahel | Tunisia |
| 05/06 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 04/05 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 03/04 | Enyimba Aba | Nigeria |
| 02/03 | Enyimba Aba | Nigeria |
| 01/02 | Zamalek SC | Egypt |
| 00/01 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 99/00 | Hearts of Oak | Ghana |
| 98/99 | Raja Club Athletic | Morocco |
| 97/98 | ASEC Mimosas | Ivory Coast |
| 96/97 | Raja Club Athletic | Morocco |
| 95/96 | Zamalek SC | Egypt |
| 94/95 | Orlando Pirates | South Africa |
| 93/94 | Esperance Tunis | Tunisia |
| 92/93 | Zamalek SC | Egypt |
| 91/92 | Wydad Casablanca | Morocco |
| 90/91 | Club Africain Tunis | Tunisia |
| 89/90 | JS Kabylie | Algeria |
| 88/89 | Raja Club Athletic | Morocco |
| 87/88 | EP Sétif | Algeria |
| 86/87 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 85/86 | Zamalek SC | Egypt |
| 84/85 | FAR Rabat | Morocco |
| 83/84 | Zamalek SC | Egypt |
| 82/83 | Asante Kotoko SC | Ghana |
| 81/82 | El Ahly Cairo | Egypt |
| 80/81 | Jeunesse Électronique de Tizi-Ouzou | Algeria |
| 79/80 | Canon Yaoundé | Cameroon |
| 78/79 | Union Douala | Cameroon |
| 77/78 | Canon Yaoundé | Cameroon |
| 76/77 | Hafia FC | Guinea |
| 75/76 | Mouloudia Club Algérois | Algeria |
| 74/75 | Hafia FC | Guinea |
| 73/74 | CARA Brazzaville | Congo |
| 72/73 | AS Vita Club Kinshasa | DR Congo |
| 71/72 | Hafia FC | Guinea |
| 70/71 | Canon Yaoundé | Cameroon |
| 69/70 | Asante Kotoko SC | Ghana |
| 68/69 | Ismaily SC | Egypt |
| 67/68 | TP Mazembe | DR Congo |
| 66/67 | TP Mazembe | DR Congo |
| 65/66 | Stade d'Abidjan | Ivory Coast |
| 64/65 | Oryx Douala | Cameroon |
A Brief History Of The CAF Champions League
The CAF Champions League, formerly known as the African Cup of Champions Clubs, began in 1964 with Cameroon’s Oryx Douala winning the inaugural title.
However, the competition faced interruptions like that of what happened in 1968 when no tournament took place. Asante Kotoko of Ghana and TP Mazembe of the DRC had memorable encounters in the late ’60s and ’70s.
The ’70s saw the rise of Cameroonian and Guinean clubs, with teams like Canon Yaoundé and Hafia Conakry clinching titles.
In 1997, the competition developed under Issa Hayatou’s leadership, adopting a league/group stage format and renaming it the CAF Champions League.
Prize money was also introduced to attract more attention. North African dominance emerged with teams like Al Ahly and Zamalek from Egypt, Raja CA from Morocco, and Tunisian sides making their impression.
Plus Nigerian and Ivorian clubs. In recent years, the league expanded, introducing semi-finals and increasing prize money.
Looking ahead, the CAF plans to maintain the Champions League alongside the Africa Football League, possibly reverting to the original knockout format.
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Who Are The Top 5 Most Successful Clubs In CAF Champions League History?
- El Ahly Cairo
- TP Mazembe
- Esperance Tunis
- Zamalek SC
- Raja Club Athletic
1. El Ahly Cairo – 11 Titles
Al Ahly holds an impressive record with 11 CAF Champions League titles, making it the most successful club in Africa.
They’ve also clinched titles in other competitions including the CAF Super Cup, African Cup Winners’ Cups, and Arab Club Champions Cup.
The club’s first football team was formed in 1911, originally comprising primary and secondary school players. Over the years, Al Ahly’s football has grown, leading to numerous victories in both local and international competitions.
During the 1940s and 1950s, Al Ahly dominated the Egyptian Premier League, securing consecutive titles and establishing themselves as a powerhouse in African football.
This dominance continued through the following decades, despite challenges such as the suspension of sporting activities during national conflicts.
In the 1970s, the club underwent a resurgence phase under coach Nándor Hidegkuti, which led to success both domestically and internationally.
Al Ahly clinched their first African Champions League title in 1982. Throughout the 2000s, the team has continued to impress under different managers, securing multiple domestic league titles.
The team’s notable achievements include going unbeaten in the 2005 season and winning the CAF Champions League title 11 times.
2. TP Mazembe – 5 Titles
TP Mazembe is the second most successful football club In CAF Champions League history. Founded in 1939 by Benedictine monks, it started as Saint Georges FC, later becoming Saint Paul F.C. and then FC Englebert.
The name “Tout Puissant” (Almighty) was added after their undefeated league win in 1966. Mazembe won the treble in 1966 and won the African Cup of Champions in 1967 and 1968, being the first team to defend the title.
After a break, the club’s resurgence was led by Moïse Katumbi Chapwe. In 2009, TP Mazembe won the CAF Champions League, earning a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Despite an early exit, they claimed sixth place. They repeated their continental success in 2010 and got to the Club World Cup final, losing to Internazionale. Also, they won their fifth CAF Champions League title in 2015 after defeating USM Alger.
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3. Zamalek SC – 5 Titles
Zamalek SC, established during the 1920s, is one of the biggest teams in Egyptian football, securing the Sultan Hussein Cup, Egypt Cup, and Cairo League titles.
The club is also one of two clubs to have participated in every season of the Egyptian Premier League and is among the seven never relegated to the Egyptian Second Division.
Internationally, Zamalek is the most successful African club of the 20th century, boasting five CAF Champions League titles, one CAF Confederation Cup title, four CAF Super Cup titles, and one African Cup Winners’ Cup title.
The team’s milestone achievement includes being the first Egyptian team to win the CAF Super Cup after defeating archrival Al Ahly in 1994.
Zamalek is also recognized as the Club of the Afro-Asian Century, clinching victory in the Afro-Asian Cup in 1987, holding records for most participations and titles in the tournament.
4. Esperance Tunis – 4 Titles
Esperance Tunis is another notable football club In the CAF Champions League, winning the title 4 times. Domestically, Esperance has also won 32 Tunisian Professional League 1 titles, plus 15 Tunisian Cup titles and 6 Tunisian Super Cup titles, totaling 53 domestic trophies.
At the international level, the club has secured 13 titles, including 4 CAF Champions League titles, 1 CAF Cup title, 1 CAF Cup Winners’ Cup title, 1 CAF Super Cup title, and one Afro-Asian Cup.
Espérance’s journey began at the Café de L’Espérance in Tunis, co-founded by Mohamed Zouaoui and Hédi Kallel. Notably, Chedly Zouiten introduced the club’s iconic red and yellow colors in 1920.
In the post-independence era, Esperance saw success under Slim Chiboub’s leadership, winning lots of domestic and international titles. The club’s recent highlights include winning the CAF Champions League in 2011, 2018, and 2019.
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5. Raja Club Athletic – 3 Titles
One of Raja’s notable achievements is its success in the CAF Champions League, having secured the cup three times, making it the fifth most successful club in the competition.
The club has also won multiple domestic titles, including 12 Botola titles and 8 Moroccan Throne Cup victories. Internationally, Raja has claimed 9 trophies, which include two CAF Confederation Cup wins and appearances in the FIFA Club World Cup, reaching the final in 2013.
Raja was ranked third in the list of the best African clubs of the 20th century, with a total of 20 domestic trophies and 9 international titles.
Pataka is a consistent and avid follower of the round leather game. He communicates his passion by editing soccer posts for various soccer platforms.