Aucho’s Yanga, Simba to face Africa’s top 4 in the 2023/24 CAF Champions League Group stage

Tanzania Premier League sides Young Africans and Simba will be pitted with the top four ranked clubs on the continent during the draws of the 2023/24 CAF Champions’ League Group stage.

The two Tanzanian giants made history after both sides qualified for the continental premier club competition’s group stage for the first time.

Simba played at the same level last year going on to reach the quarterfinals while Yanga achieved the fete for the first time since 1998.

According to the CAF five-year rankings, Simba will go into pot two of the draws while Yanga await further draws to determine whether they go into third or fourth pot.

Yanga reached the final of the CAF Confederations Cup last season losing to USM Algiers.

The rankings and seeding mean that the two clubs will at least face one of the top four ranked sides on the continent.

The top four are Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Esperance from Tunisia and Denis Onyango’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

However, for fairness, both sides can not be drawn into the same group.

The draw for the group stage will be held on October 6th in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The group stage matches will start on the weekend of November 24th and 25th.

Qualified teams for the 2023 CAF Champions League group stage;

Pot 1 - Al Ahly, Wydad, Esperance Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns

Pot 2 - CR Belouizdad (* pending), Pyramids FC, Petro Atletico, Simba SC (2)

Pot 2 or 3 - TP Mazembe

Pot 3 - Al Hilal SC

Pot 3 or 4 - Yanga SC, ASEC Mimosas, Etoile Sahel

Pot 4 - Jwaneng Galaxy, FC Nouadhibou, Medeama