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Pulse Sports highlights the clubs that have claimed the biggest prize on the continent down the years
Al Ahly were crowned champions of Africa for a record-extending 11th time after their 3-2 aggregate win over defending champions Wydad Casablanca of Morocco on Sunday.
With that, the Cairo Red Devils reasserted their authority as the best team of the continent, avenging last year’s defeat, while making it three titles in the last four years.
Al Ahly are out there on their own as they have six more titles than the second successive team on the continent. So, who are the most successful African teams?
11 - Al Ahly (Egypt)
The ‘Team of the Century’ won the first of their 11 titles in 1982 when the competition was called African Cup of Champions Clubs following a 4-1 aggregate win over Asante Kotoko of Ghana in a two-legged final.
They would wait for five years before their second title arrived in 1987 when they recorded a 2-0 win over Al-Hilal of Sudan. Al Ahly then asserted their dominance at the turn of the millennium when they won four titles in 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2008 before sealing the 2012 and 2013 titles.
However, they experienced a seven-year drought until 2020 when they reclaimed their title under South African coach Pitso Mosimane who would also lead them to the 2021 crown before losing last year’s final to Wydad in what proved to be his final match with the club.
Swiss coach Mercel Koller is the man who has brought No.11 but it never looked like happening after back-to-back losses in the group stages that included a 5-3 thrashing at the hands of South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns.
5 - TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
The second most successful team on the continent are Congolese giants TP Mazembe who are tied on five titles with Egyptian side Zamalek.
Mazembe, however, won the last of their five titles eight years ago when they beat USM Alger of Algeria, 2023 CAF Confederation Cup winners, 4-1 on aggregate in a two-legged final.
The title arrived after they had won it back-to-back in 2009 and 2010, those two coming after over 40 years since their last win. Mazembe’s first two crowns were won in 1967 and 1968.
5 - Zamalek (Egypt)
Al Ahly’s bitter rivals Zamalek also have five crowns, the last of which arrived in 2002 when they beat Morocco’s Raja Casablanca 1-0 in a two-legged final.
Zamalek won their first four titles in the 1980s and 90s, the first one coming in 1984 before making it two in 1986 and they had to wait until 1993 for their third with the fourth being won three years later.
4 - Esperance (Tunisia)
Tunisia giants Esperance have four titles having triumphed in 1994, 2001, 2018 and 2019. Their last title arrived following a 2-1 aggregate win over Wydad with the second leg in Tunis which was abandoned when they were leading 1-0 due to fan trouble.
3 - Raja Casablanca, Wydad Casablanca (both Morocco), Canon Yaounde (Cameroon), Hafia (Guinea)
Four teams have won the title three times with 2023 beaten finalists Wydad missing the chance to make it four following their success in 1992, 2017 and 2022 while city rivals Raja won in 1989, 1997 and 1999.
Hafia, meanwhile, were the team to beat in the 70s, claiming their titles in 1972, 1975 and 1977, same as Canon Yaounde, winners in 1971, 1978 and 1980.
2 - ES Setif, JS Kabylie (both Algeria), Asante Kotoko (Ghana), Enyimba (Nigeria)
Also, four teams claimed the title twice being Algeria’s ES Setif (1988, 2014), JS Kabylie (1981, 1990), Asante Kotoko of Ghana (1970, 1983) and Nigeria’s Enyimba (2003, 2004).
1 - ASEC Mimosas (1998), Stade Abidjan, 1966, (both Ivory Coast), Club Africain (1991), Etoile Sahel, 2007, (both Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (2016), Orlando Pirates, 1995, (both South Africa), Oryx Douala (1965), Union Douala, 1979, (both Cameroon), CARA, 1974, (Congo Brazzaville), FAR Rabat, 1985, (Morocco), Hearts of Oak, 2000, (Ghana), Ismaily, 1969, (Egypt), Mouloudia Alger, 1976, (Algeria).
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