CAF Champions League Preview: Group C

CAF Champions League Preview: Group C

Mamelodi Sundowns celebrate. Photo: Mamelodi Sundowns FC

CAF Champions League Preview: Group C

The 2025-26 CAF Champions League group stage begins this weekend and Africa’s premier club competition has plenty of familiar top clubs as well as some new faces taking part this season.

Pan-Africa Football is previewing all four groups and next is a focus on Group C, which features group favorites and South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns. Sundowns will face off with Sudanese giants Al Hilal Omdurman, Algerian champions MC Alger and one of the surprise teams in the group stage, DR Congo’s FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo.

 

Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)

 

 

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Introduction

 

Based in a township close to the South African administrative capital of Pretoria, Sundowns was a member of the inaugural season of South Africa’s National Soccer League in 1985. The club now has eighteen top division titles and are in the midst of an incredibly dominant spell that has seen Bafana ba Style claim the last eight top division titles in the country. Before, Sundowns captured their only continental title with a CAF Champions League conquest in 2016.

 

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Current coach Miguel Cardoso took over in December 2024 and has continued Sundowns’ dominance, although coming up short in the final of the Champions League last season. Under the Portuguese, Sundowns look to maintain possession while looking to pounce on opposition errors with precision counter-attacks.

 

Key Players

 

Ronwen Williams

 

 

The South Africa national team goalkeeper is a match winner for Sundowns on his day and has become more and more consistent since joining from first club SuperSport United. A modern keeper who likes to have the ball at his feet, Williams was previously prone to the occasional blunder but has largely eliminated his mental errors. Excellent reflexes and has a particular knack for saving penalty kicks.

 

Iqraam Rayners

 

 

While legendary Sundowns and Namibia national team striker Peter Shalulile has been downgraded to more of a rotation role, Rayners has taken on the mantle of being the main goal threat since joining from Stellenbosch FC ahead of the 2024-25 season. As a striker who makes intelligent runs and is a clinical finisher, Rayners is a perfect goal specialist for a Sundowns team filled with playmakers and technically skilled players.

 

Teboho Mokoena

 

 

A central playmaker who likes to sit deeper in the midfield but is unafraid to venture forward, Mokoena is known for his excellent technical ability on the ball. An excellent passer who can pick out targets at short and long range, Mokoena also enjoys striking on goal from distance and can change a match at any moment.

Nuno Santos

Sundowns continue to scout heavily in Europe and South America in search of foreign players who can boost them to continental success and the Portuguese attacker is the latest acquisition along with compatriot midfielder Miguel Reisinho. The former Benfica youth product was given the #10 shirt but has high expectations to live up to, something that many previous foreign signings have failed to meet.

 

Al Hilal Omdurman (SDN)

 

 

Introduction

 

The legendary Sudanese club continue to dominate the football scene in their country and also continue to perform well in continental competition despite the ongoing war in Sudan. Last season, Hilal and rivals Al Merriekh competed in Mauritania’s top flight Super D1, where Hilal captured the title before winning a brief tournament back home to qualify for this season’s Champions League. This season, Hilal and Merriekh will compete in the Rwanda Premier League.

Led by current coach Laurentiu Reghecampf, the Romanian has a massive task to match high expectations set by legendary predecessor Laurent Ibenge. However, in addition to many Sudan national team stars, Reghecampf also has a Pan-African collection of stars to choose from in a squad built to compete for continental honors.

 

 

Key Players

 

Mohamed Abdelrahman

 

 

The talisman and captain of Al Hilal, Abdelrahman was in sensational form during the 2024-25 season to lead Hilal to the quarterfinals of the Champions League as well as success in their unique league situation. However, the goal scoring playmaker’s body appeared to break down after leading the charge for not only Al Hilal but the Sudan national team, whose 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign fell apart after Abdelrahman became unavailable due to injury. It will be interesting to see if the veteran recovers to contribute at a high level this season.

 

Jean-Claude Girumugisha

 

 

The young Burundi national team winger is a dribbling specialist who rose from obscurity to become a much discussed player in African football circles due to his performances for Hilal. Scored three goals last season in the Champions League and created several highlight moments with his pace and willingness to run at defenses.

 

Ernest Luzolo

 

A reliable left back who is capable of making forward runs to support the attack, the Congolese has represented the DR Congo national team and was previously a star at top Congolese clubs TP Mazembe and AS Vita Club. Hilal have a large stable of excellent flank players in defense and attack and Luzolo is the latest to join a group that includes compatriot Steven Ebuela on the right wing as well as Malian winger Adama Coulibaly.

 

Sunday Adetunji

 

 

One thing Hilal lacked last season was a reliable goal scoring forward and the towering, well-traveled Nigerian was brought in from European club football to be Hilal’s target striker. Scored twice against Kenya Police to qualify Hilal for the group stage of the Champions League. Arrived at Hilal after an excellent 2024-25 season with Kosovo’s FC Ballkani where he scored 18 league goals.

 

MC Alger (ALG)

 

Introduction

The first Algerian club to win the Champions League under its previous name, the African Cup of Champions Clubs, in 1976, Mouloudia Club d’Alger are a club with a massive history. With nine top flight titles in the country along with eight domestic cup triumphs, MCA have set a goal of reaching the heights of the 1976 team after winning the last two Algeria Ligue 1 titles. 

 

 

To accomplish their lofty goals in continental competition, MCA brought in renowned South African coach Rulani Mokwena who was an architect of success at Mamelodi Sundowns and was most recently with Moroccan giants Wydad AC. Mokwena will look to improve on MCA’s quarterfinal finish last season in the Champions League, where they were eliminated without scoring a goal in a 0-1 aggregate defeat to Orlando Pirates.

 

Players to Watch

 

Ayoub Abdellaoui

 

 

Abdellaoui is a veteran central defender who is a good example of the many top quality defenders Algeria produces: Fierce, passionate, good in the air and an outstanding organizer of his defense. The captain, groomed at MCA’s Algiers rivals USM Alger, previously spent time in Switzerland as well as a brief spell in Saudi Arabia before returning to Algerian football with MCA. The former Algerian international represented his nation at the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, the 2016 Olympic Games and also featured regularly as Algeria finished runners-up at the 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

 

Mohamed Zougrana

 

 

An Ivorian-born central midfielder who now represents the Burkina Faso national team, Zougrana has been battling injuries this season but is a crucial member of the MCA squad. An active player who links the defense to the attack, the 24-year-old rose to prominence with legendary Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas as they reached the semifinals of the 2022-23 CAF Confederation Cup. Afterwards, Zougrana was acquired by MCA where he has become an indispensable player.

 

Mohamed Bangoura

 

 

The now 21-year-old Guinean striker was a revelation upon his arrival midway through last season, producing seven goals in thirteen league matches for MCA. Like Zougrana, Bangoura has suffered from injury for most of the current campaign but made a recent return. A poacher extraordinaire who combines size and pace, what stands out the most about the young striker is his advanced finishing ability early in his career.

 

Mohamed Halaimia

The right back is a contributor to the strongest defense in Algerian football but also adds plenty when he gets forward. The former MC Oran player spent three seasons in Belgium with Beerschot VA before joining MCA to become an integral player ahead of the 2022-23 season. Last season was Halaimia’s most productive with 5 goals and 5 assists between domestic league and continental action, earning him an important role in Algeria’s team at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) a few months ago.

 

FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo (DRC)

 

Introduction

 

The Congolese giants are based in Lubumbashi, where they regularly compete against top clubs like TP Mazembe in DR Congo’s southeast which is characterized by a massive passion for football. Les Cheminots (The Railwaymen) shocked last season’s semifinalists Orlando Pirates in the qualifying stages to reach the Champions League group stage for the first time in the competition’s modern era. Previously, Lupopo reached as far as the semifinals at the 1982 African Cup of Champions Clubs.

Head coach Guy Bukasa previously led the DR Congo under-20 national team to the quarterfinals at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. The 38-year-old coach has a remarkable amount of experience for his age both in his country and throughout Africa, making him a rising star in the Congolese coaching ranks.

Key Players

 

Miche Mika

 

 

The central midfielder is one of the best players in DR Congo’s top flight Linafoot and also played in all five matches for his nation at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN). A former TP Mazembe player, Mika is known as a strong leader who provides stability and experience that is valuable for any coach and his squad.

 

Simon Omossola

 

 

A Cameroonian goalkeeper who previously starred for the most famous club in his native country, Coton Sport de Garoua, Omossola has now spent several years in Congolese football. The 27-year-old has previous experience in the Champions League, featuring for Coton Sport and also his first Congolese club, Kinshasa’s AS Vita Club, in the 2020-21 Champions League group stage. Has also represented Cameroon on the international stage and was on the bench during the 2026 World Cup qualifying playoff in November.

 

Dieumerci Mukoko Amale

Amale is an experienced defender who is comfortable in a central role or on the right flank. Spent four seasons in Moroccan club football, mostly with Difaa El Jadida (video below), before returning to his native country with Lupopo after previously playing for DC Motema Pembe. A popular player who played every minute for DR Congo during their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign as the Leopards number one option at right back.

 

Basiala Amongo

The central attacking midfielder was a massive signing for Lupopo, who acquired the 26-year-old ahead of the ongoing season. One of the stars last season for fellow Congolese club AS Maniema Union, who also advanced to the group stage of the Champions League where Amongo impressed alongside fellow midfielder Joseph Bakasu who moved to Moroccan titans Wydad AC. Amongo, who represented the DRC at the 2024 African Nations Championship a couple months ago, is also a set piece specialist as well (his assists against Angola at the CHAN in the video below).

 

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Al-Hilal Omdurman
Algeria
DR Congo
FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo
Mamelodi Sundowns
MC Alger
South Africa
Sudan

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