Orlando Pirates will revisit two familiar rivals and meet one debutant after Wednesday’s group stage draw in Cairo.
Orlando Pirates will face Simba, RS Berkane and debutants Colombe Sportive in Group C after Wednesday’s CAF Champions League draw.
Orlando Pirates (2.17) now know their opponents for the CAF Champions League group stage after the draw in Cairo. The Buccaneers landed in Group C and face a demanding schedule across Africa.
A Stern Group C Awaits
Pirates are now South Africa’s last representative in the competition. Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns (1.33) exited in the final qualifying round after a 1-1 aggregate draw with Angola’s Wiliete. Wiliete advanced on away goals.
Pirates, meanwhile, eased past Mauritius’ La Cure Waves in the first preliminary round. They then beat Namibia’s African Stars 5-0 on aggregate. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s side will now play at least six more matches.
The top two teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals. The first round of fixtures runs from 27-29 November.
Familiar Faces, Familiar Pain
Two of the three opponents hold vivid memories for Pirates. Simba (1.19) and Berkane both featured in their 2021/22 CAF Confederation Cup run.
Pirates beat Simba on penalties in the quarter-finals after a 1-1 aggregate draw. Berkane then beat them on penalties in the final in Uyo, Nigeria. Youssef El Fahli and Thembinkosi Lorch scored extra-time goals before that shootout.
Berkane have since won the Confederation Cup three times. They also reached the Champions League semi-finals in their last appearance. Bubista, who guided Cape Verde to the World Cup knockout stage, now coaches them.
Simba add a South African twist. Steve Barker, the former Stellenbosch coach, leads the Tanzanian side. He faced Pirates many times in the domestic league before moving to East Africa.
Simba are also regulars at this stage. They have reached the group stage in four of their last five attempts.
The Debutants Factor
Colombe Sportive offer a different kind of test. The Cameroonians make their group stage debut after beating Mali’s Stade Malien in the last qualifying round. Pirates have never faced them.
That unknown quality could prove dangerous. Pirates must also travel to Tanzania, Morocco and Cameroon. Those trips span East, North and Central Africa.
The route recalls their Confederation Cup adventure. Pirates last played a Champions League group stage in 2024/25. They reached the semi-finals, where Pyramids edged them 3-2 on aggregate.
Pyramids (1.39) went on to win the title. Rulani Mokwena, another South African, now coaches them. He has won all 12 matches in all competitions since taking over.
Pirates won this competition in 1995. Their supporters now want a deeper run than the last one.
The Full Draw
Group A: Esperance (Tunisia), Petro Luanda (Angola), FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania), Wiliete SC (Angola).
Group B: Zamalek (Egypt), Young Africans (Tanzania), MC Alger (Algeria), Club Africain (Tunisia).
Group C: RS Berkane (Morocco), Simba SC (Tanzania), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Colombe Sportive (Cameroon).
Group D: Pyramids (Egypt), Al Hilal (Sudan), Horoya (Guinea), Maghreb de Fes (Morocco).
