The CAF 5-year ranking system is used by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to determine the number of clubs that each member association may enter its club football competitions; the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. At present, those associations ranked in the top 12 may enter two teams into each of the two club competitions, while the remaining associations are limited to a single team in each competition.
Criteria for awarding points CAF approved its basic criteria based on the criteria used in the election of the CAF Clubs of the 20th Century in 2000 for awarding points in 2003. This was changed in 2005 with the addition of a criterion that rewards clubs that advance to the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. This methodology has also been used to create an all-time ranking for CAF clubs, adding the points that would have been obtained by each club based on its results since 1965.
For the rankings system, only results since 1998 have been counted with the CAF Super Cup and the FIFA World Cup Club excluded from the system since 2011. The table below shows the years during which the competitions were operated:
Competition6 Points5 Points4 Points3 Points2 Points1 Point0.5 PointCompetitions used in rankingsCAF Champions LeagueChampionsRunners-upSemi-finalistQuarter-finalist(from 2017)3rd in Group Stage4th in Group StageCAF Confederation CupChampionsRunners-upSemi-finalistQuarter-finalist(from 2017)3rd in Group Stage4th in Group Stage
Weighting factor Since 2011, points have been weighted according to the year of performance results when calculating the rankings. For the current ranking, the points calculated based on performances in CAF club competitions between 2020–21 and the 2024–25 season, the points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follows: 2024–25: × 5 2023–24: × 4 2022–23: × 3 2021–22: × 2 2020–21: × 1
Association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season The association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2020–21 to the 2024–25 season.
Legend CL: CAF Champions League CC: CAF Confederation Cup ≥: Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2024–25 CAF club competitions
Rank Association 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 Total 2025 2024 Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC11 —837482.57710422 —469582245534 +182544341.59343 -1657165235556 +130.50234602465 -14351426130.578 +110502031.52287 -1400312402099 —30303020301011 +100010330121110 -100.50500.503001212 —02000202011315 +20000010210.51414 —00000013001513 -220102000.5001619 +30010001000.51721 +412000000011817 -100000020001918 -100010100.5002016 -40300.51000002122 +100000100002222 —000010000023- new0000000000.52420 -401.500.50000002524 -10000.50000002524 -1 0000.50000002726 -100.500000000
Association ranking for the 2026–27 CAF club season The association ranking for the 2026–27 CAF Champions League and the 2026–27 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2021–22 to the 2025–26 season with the 2025–26 season currently underway.
Legend CL: CAF Champions League CC: CAF Confederation Cup Associations in bold are still active in 2025–26 CAF club competitions
Rank Association 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 Total 2026 2025 Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC11 —7482.5771046622 —958224559534 +1716523553843 -1544341.5936255 —0234602431.566 —51426130.54077 —502031.5222088 —031240201299 —30302030301013 +300010210.5311110 -10103301200.51212 —00020201101311 -20500.50300001419 +5010100.500021524 +900.500000020.51614 -200001300001715 -2102000.500001816 -210001000.5001818 —00002000002017 -3000000010021— new0000000000.52120 -100.5100000002323 —00000000.5002321 -200010000002322 -100100000002625 -100.5000000002625 -1 00.500000000
Club ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season The club ranking is used for seeding in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. Pending equality in ranking points, the team receiving more points in the most recent season is considered as the higher-ranked team.
The club ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup is based on results from each CAF club competition from the 2020–21 to the 2024–25 seasons.
Rank Club 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 Total1 Al Ahly656642 Mamelodi Sundowns334453 Espérance de Tunis434534 RS Berkane150455 Simba323346 Pyramids322167 Zamalek222528 Wydad AC465209 USM Alger0053210 CR Belouizdad3332211 Al-Hilal1222312 Young Africans0043213 ASEC Mimosas0133214 TP Mazembe230.54115 Orlando Pirates2400416 Raja CA5330217 Petro de Luanda1423018 ASFAR Rabat0020319 MC Alger3000320 Sagrada Esperança0101221 CS Constantine00003 Stellenbosch0000323 Al-Masry0200224 Rivers United0022025 JS Kabylie4030026 Dreams FC0003027 Stade Malien00020.528 Horoya2120029 Future000.52030 Étoile du Sahel1201031 Marumo Gallants0030032 ES Sétif1400033 FC Nouadhibou0002034 Abu Salim0002035 Enyimba20001 ASC Jaraaf2000137 Coton Sport30.510038 CS Sfaxien21000.539 Jwaneng Galaxy0101040 US Monastir0020041 Al-Merrikh1110042 Al-Ahli Tripoli0300043 Maniema Union00001 Stade d'Abidjan00001 Djoliba00001 Bravos do Maquis00001 Lunda Sul0000148 Diables Noirs0010.5049 AS Vita Club2010050 Kaizer Chiefs5000051 Medeama00010 Club Africain00010 Sekhukhune United00010 Al Hilal Benghazi0001055 Al Ittihad02000 AmaZulu0200057 Saint-Éloi Lupopo00100 Real Bamako00100 ASKO Kara00100 Vipers0010061 Orapa United00000.5 Black Bulls00000.563 Académica do Lobito0000.50 Académie SOAR0000.50 SuperSport United0000.5066 JS Saoura01000 AS Otôho0100068 DC Motema Pembe000.500 Al Akhdar000.50070 Zanaco00.5000 USGN00.5000 Royal Leopards00.500073 Nkana10000 Teungueth1000075 Al Ahly Benghazi0.50000 Salitas0.50000 Namungo0.50000 NAPSA Stars0.50000
Club ranking for the 2026–27 CAF club season The club ranking is used for seeding in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.Pending equality in ranking points, the team receiving more points in the most recent season is considered as the higher-ranked team.
The club ranking for the 2026–27 CAF Champions League and the 2026–27 CAF Confederation Cup is to be based on results from each CAF club competition from the 2021–22 to the 2025–26 seasons.
Legend
Rank Club 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 Total1 Mamelodi Sundowns344562 Al Ahly566433 Espérance de Tunis345344 RS Berkane504545 USM Alger053256 Zamalek225247 Pyramids221638 ASFAR Rabat020359 Al-Hilal2223310 CR Belouizdad3322311 Simba2334112 Young Africans0432213 Wydad AC6520214 Petro de Luanda4230215 ASEC Mimosas1332016 Stade Malien0020.5317 MC Alger0003218 Al-Masry2002219 Orlando Pirates4004020 TP Mazembe30.541021 Raja CA3302022 Olympic Safi0000323 Rivers United0220124 Stellenbosch00030.525 Maniema Union0001226 CS Constantine0003027 Sagrada Esperança1012028 AS Otôho1000229 JS Kabylie0300130 Power Dynamos0000231 Djoliba0001132 Dreams FC0030033 Saint-Éloi Lupopo0100134 Future00.520035 Abu Salim00200 FC Nouadhibou0020037 Marumo Gallants0300038 Azam00001 Kaizer Chiefs00001 Singida Black Stars0000141 Étoile du Sahel2010042 Horoya1200043 Bravos do Maquis00010 Enyimba00010 ASC Jaraaf00010 Lunda Sul00010 Stade d'Abidjan0001048 Jwaneng Galaxy1010049 US Monastir0200050 ES Sétif4000051 Diables Noirs010.50052 CS Sfaxien1000.5053 Al Hilal Benghazi00100 Club Africain00100 Medeama00100 Sekhukhune United0010057 Al-Merrikh1100058 Al-Ahli Tripoli3000059 Nairobi United00000.5 San Pédro00000.5 ZESCO United00000.562 Coton Sport0.5100063 Orapa United0000.50 Black Bulls0000.5065 Real Bamako01000 ASKO Kara01000 Vipers01000 AS Vita Club0100069 Al Ittihad20000 AmaZulu2000071 Académica do Lobito000.500 Académie SOAR000.500 SuperSport United000.50074 DC Motema Pembe00.5000 Al Akhdar00.500076 JS Saoura1000077 Zanaco0.50000 USGN0.50000 Royal Leopards0.50000
Historical rankings since 2011
Legend
— No rank
Association Rank 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2018–19 2019–20 2020–212021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025-26 2026-27 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 8 7 4 5 4 7 7 6 4 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 6 6 7 7 7 4 4 4 5 4 5 4 3 3 3 4 3 14 16 17 11 12 6 5 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 4 16 24 12 13 12 11 6 6 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 4 5 5 6 6 11 9 10 12 13 13 17 17 11 10 10 7 8 8 7 7 5 3 5 6 3 3 3 3 3 5 4 6 6 7 7 8 8 4 5 6 4 6 5 5 7 7 8 11 11 8 9 9 9 9 8 8 10 8 7 8 9 11 16 26 20 20 21 18 15 13 10 7 12 12 15 13 6 9 8 10 13 14 16 16 13 11 10 11 3 4 2 3 5 11 12 12 13 9 8 8 12 12 12 12 12 16 10 15 16 14 14 14 9 18 12 15 9 11 10 11 13 9 9 8 7 10 15 16 18 19 17 16 18 19 14 14 14 14 16 15 14 9 8 7 7 9 13 15 20 24 15 13 15 16 12 14 15 14 15 22 19 20 23 24 27 14 14 16 18 18 10 9 7 10 10 13 15 17 24 25 27 18 21 19 16 18 27 27 28 27 17 18 18 14 15 17 21 17 20 14 15 17 19 23 21 10 11 8 11 9 8 11 13 10 26 29 13 14 14 16 20 21 10 15 17 20 30 23 23 24 25 27 30 19 22 21 23 18 17 18 20 26 19 22 22 23 18 22 23 26 21 23 24 25 26 16 15 17 19 18 24 23 24 25 26 18 28 29 23 23 23 26 27 12 9 11 13 18 18 18 20 15 17 19 22 26 27 27 28 27 28 20 22 23 26 15 17 17 18 13 23 24 27 18 23 29 31 32 17 18
Note: For associations which have the same number of points, they are listed as having the same rank as CAF did not publish any tiebreaking criteria. There was a tie for determining the 12th ranked association on two occasions: In 2012, Ivory Coast received two entries in each tournament, while Angola and Zambia only received one entry in each. In 2013, Ivory Coast received two entries in each tournament, while Libya only received one entry in each.
Club results Club results of the previous 5 seasons and the current season based on the current points system are as follows:
6 points5 points4 points3 points2 points1 point0.5 point2020–21CL Al-Ahly Kaizer ChiefsCC Raja CA JS Kabylie2021–22CL Wydad AC Al-AhlyCC RS Berkane Orlando Pirates 2022–23CL Al Ahly Wydad ACCC USM Alger Young Africans2023–24CL Al Ahly Espérance de TunisCC Zamalek RS Berkane2024–25CL Pyramids Mamelodi SundownsCC RS Berkane Simba2025–26CL Mamelodi Sundowns ASFARCC USM Alger Zamalek
If a team was disqualified, they will not obtain any ranking points. For example, ES Sétif were disqualified from the 2016 CAF Champions League during the group stage. As a result, they did not obtain a position for that edition and thus were not counted when calculating the ranking for Algeria.
See also AFC club competitions ranking, a similar system used by the Asian Football Confederation CAF clubs of the 20th century CONMEBOL club ranking of the Copa Libertadores, a similar system used by CONMEBOL UEFA coefficient, a similar system used by UEFA
References
External links The CAF 5-year ranking system via RSSSF 2008 African club ranking system (archived) via CAFOnline.com