CAFCC: Stellenbosch FC coach Barker says no small teams

South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has shown no surprise with the 2025-2026 CAF Confederation Cup draw held on Monday.

The 2024 Confederation Cup semi finalists were drawn against Algerians CR Belouizdad, AS Otohô from Congo Brazzaville, and Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars in Group C.

Flying the SFC flag on the continental stage 🌍

CEO Rob Benadie attended today’s #TotalEnergiesCAFCC Group Stage draw, alongside African football legends Christopher Katongo and Alex Song 📸#HeartoftheCape #MoreThanFootball #StellenboschFC 🍇 pic.twitter.com/t5OFHdK8dT

— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) November 3, 2025

Barker’s team made it to the group stage after seeing off 15 de Agosto de Akonibe 4-1 on aggregate in the second preliminary round last year.

Now, the Betway Premiership side, which is in the relegation zone of the top-flight league in South Africa, will have to step up its game to survive in the group stages.

Was Barker expecting easier opponents for Stellenbosch?

Reacting to the draw, Barker insisted that he was not expecting an easier opponent at this stage of the competition.

“Once you get to the group stage, there are no easy teams,” Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker said following the draw. “All of the teams have done well and deserve to have reached this stage of the competition.

“It’s an interesting draw for us to be playing against different types of opposition. It will be a test for us, especially in terms of our away fixtures to Congo, Tanzania, and Algeria,” the coach told his club’s website.

“It was never going to be an easy draw, being seeded in Pot 2, we were always going to get a team from Pot 1, which in this case is CR Belouizdad, but we are looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s always good to be testing ourselves on the continent and playing against different opposition from different countries.”

Last season, Stellenbosch reached the semifinal of the continental competition after overcoming then holders Zamalek. Before such a huge win, the Western Cape-based team had overcome Angolan side CD Lunda Sul, Stade Malien and Zamalek FC.

Barker’s men finally met their match after being stopped in the semifinal by Tanzania’s Simba SC.

The provisional dates for the Group Stage are as follows:

MD1 – 21-23 November 2025

MD2 – 28-30 November 2025

MD3 – 23-25 January 2026

MD4 – 30 January-1 February 2026

MD5 – 6-8 February 2026

MD6 – 13-15 February 2026