Just as in Europe, Asia and Central America, there is of course also a Champions League in Africa!
In it, the champions and best of the respective African leagues play for the big trophy. In 2020 and 2021, the Egyptian team Al Ahly SC was the champion. Last year, the Egyptians defeated the Kaizer Chiefs from South Africa 3-0 in the final at the Stade Mohammed in Casablanca. However, the Kaizer Chiefs will not be competing in 2021/2022, while Al Ahly will be aiming for a hat-trick!
Check out the best betting sites in Africa for betting on the CAF Champions League.
The following betting predictions might also interest you:
The CAF Champions League started in 1997. But the African Cup of Nations has been contested by the continent’s best teams since 1964. Since then, there have been 26 different winners. The team with the most wins is Al Ahly SC, who have won the cup 10 times – 8 times in the 2000s. In general, teams from North Africa have been the most successful in this cup: Egypt won a total of 16 times, 6 titles each went to Morocco and Tunisia, and an Algerian representative won 5 times.
Al Ahly is also the team with the most wins and goals, followed by Esperance Tunis and Mazembe.
From Ghana, Asante Kokoko won in 1970 and 1983 and Accra Hearts of Oak in 2000, while South Africa won twice with Orlando Pirates (1995) and Mamelodi Sundowns (2016). In Nigeria, Enyimba FC was successful in 2003 and 2004!
In the current format, two rounds are played first in a knockout system with first and second legs. After that, a group stage with four groups of four teams each will determine the participants for the quarter-finals in first and second legs. The first and second-placed teams in each group qualify for another knockout phase.
The winner of this competition qualifies for the African Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup respectively.
Let us take a look at the statistics of the 2020/2021 season. It is noticeable that the matches of the CAF Champions League are not particularly rich in goals. The average score is only 2.08 goals per match. Only 34% of the matches, finished over 2.5 goals, in 66% of the matches, less than 2.5 was the more successful betting tip. In only 33% of the matches did both teams score a goal – in 37.4% of all matches there was only 1 goal!
Although most matches were played without spectators due to the pandemic, the respective home teams had a clear advantage in last year’s group stage. 21 home victories correspond to a share of 44%. In 33% of the matches, there was a draw, only in 23% of the matches did the away team win. 1x was a successful bet in 77% of the matches, while x2 was successful in 56%. 12 (Home-win or away-win, no draw) comes to 67%.
Attention. The spectator effect definitely has an impact on the number of goals scored. Before the start of the pandemic, the goal average in the CAF Champions League was over 2.30 goals per game – that is a significant difference.
If more spectators are now allowed into the stadium again, this will also lead to more goals.
Average corners (Season 2021/2022): 8.96 (5.55 home / 3.42 away)
Average cards (Season 2021/2022): 4.04 (1.87 home / 2.17 away).
Of course, Al Ahly is the favourite in 2022 as well.
Other favourites are Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca from Morocco, Zamalek SC from Egypt, Esperance Tunis from Tunisia and the South African teams Mamelodi Sundowns, AmaZulu and the surprise team Jwaneng Galaxy from Botswana.
The most famous players play for the multiple champions from Al Ahly. Apart from Egyptian international Mohamed Sherif (top scorer 21/22) and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, midfielder Aliou Dieng from Mali deserves special mention as he has the highest market value in the competition.
Almost all bookmakers have the CAF Champions League on offer, for example, 1xBet, Bet365 or Betway, but of course also many local betting providers like Socabet.
However, the bookies publish the odds often only on the matchday itself.
As the defence dominates in the CAF Champions League, a single goal can often be decisive.
Valuable bets in the CAF Champions League are:
