2015 CAF Champions League

All 56 CAF member associations may enter the CAF Champions League, with the 12 highest ranked associations according to their CAF 5-year ranking eligible to enter two teams in the competition. The title holders can also enter. As a result, theoretically a maximum of 69 teams could enter the tournament – although this level has never been reached.

For the 2015 CAF Champions League, the CAF uses the 2009–2013 CAF 5-year ranking, which calculates points for each entrant association based on their clubs’ performance over those 5 years in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. The criteria for points are the following:{{cite web|title=CAF disowns club ranking published by some websites|url=http://www.cafonline.com/football/news/10006-caf-disowns-club-ranking-published-by-some-websites.html|work=Cafonline.com|date=9 June 2011|access-date=14 December 2011}}

The points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follows:

• 2013 – 5
• 2012 – 4
• 2011 – 3
• 2010 – 2
• 2009 – 1

The following 57 teams from 44 associations entered the competition.

Teams in bold received a bye to the first round. The other teams entered the preliminary round.

Associations are shown according to their 2009–2013 CAF 5-year ranking – those with a ranking score have their rank and score indicated.{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=SYnbfWTSgixTydDKgA3%2fOA%3d%3d|title=Two South African clubs for each Interclub Competition|publisher=CAF|date=29 November 2014}}

;Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}}

{{Cnote2|Note ALG|Algeria (ALG): JS Kabylie, the 2013–14 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up, was suspended by the CAF for two years due to the death of Albert Ebossé during their league home match against USM Alger.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/fr/news/70/afrique/2014/09/21/5121684/affaire-eboss%C3%A9-la-js-kabyle-suspendue-deux-ann%C3%A9es-par-la-caf|title=Affaire Ebossé, La JS Kabyle suspendue deux années par la CAF|publisher=Goal.com|date=21 September 2014|language=fr}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29311286|title=JS Kabylie given two year Caf ban over Ebosse death|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 September 2014}} On 11 February 2015, the CAS overturned the suspension.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31424265|title=JS Kabylie win appeal against ban imposed after death of Ebosse|publisher=BBC Sport|date=11 February 2015}} However, their replacement MC El Eulma continued to represent Algeria in the 2015 CAF Champions League.}}

{{Cnote2|Note GAM|Gambia (GAM): Gambia were originally not able to enter a team after the association was suspended from all CAF competitions for two years for deliberately fielding overage players in the 2015 African U-20 Championship qualification match against Liberia,{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=PYhI6C%2fbaHi0JRyKumDphQ%3d%3d|title=Gambia suspended from all competitions for two years|publisher=Cafonline.com|date=3 May 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27268626|title=The Gambia disqualified from all Caf competitions|publisher=BBC Sport|date=3 May 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/05/03/3831442/gambia-banned-for-2-years-for.html|title=Gambia banned for 2 years for age cheating|publisher=newsobserver.com|date=3 May 2014}} but the ban was lifted by the CAF following new election of the Gambia Football Association.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29302044|title=Caf lifts suspension on The Gambia following elections|publisher=BBC Sport|date=30 September 2014}}}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

The schedule of the competition was as follows (all draws are held at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt).{{cite web|title=CAF Full Calendar |url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/caf/fullcafcalendar.aspx |publisher=CAFonline.com |access-date=28 February 2015 |date=28 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214161053/http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/caf/fullcafcalendar.aspx |archive-date=14 February 2015 }}

{{main|2015 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds}}

The draw for the preliminary, first and second qualifying rounds was held on 22 December 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/Portals/0/AWC%20Squadlist/CL%20-%2058.pdf|title=19th Edition of CAF Champions League CL 2015|publisher=CAF}}

Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule would be applied, and if still level, the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (no extra time would be played).

{{#lst:2015 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|Preliminary round}}

;Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin}}

{{Cnote2|A|Asante Kotoko won on walkover after East End Lions withdrew.{{cite web|url=http://www.spyghana.com/caf-clubs-competitions-across-africa-hearts-action-whilst-kotoko-gets-walkover/|title=CAF Clubs Competitions across Africa, Hearts in Action whilst Kotoko gets a walkover|publisher=SpyGhana|date=13 February 2015|access-date=7 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215707/http://www.spyghana.com/caf-clubs-competitions-across-africa-hearts-action-whilst-kotoko-gets-walkover/|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

{{#lst:2015 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|First round}}

{{#lst:2015 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|Second round}}

The losers of the second round entered the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup play-off round.

{{main|2015 CAF Champions League group stage}}

{{Location map+|Africa| AlternativeMap=Africa location map without rivers.svg|width=500|float=right|caption=Location of teams of the 2015 CAF Champions League group stage.
8px Group A.
8px Group B.|places=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=36.183333|long=5.1|label_size=80|label=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=36.15|long=5.683333|label_size=80|label=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=36.766667|long=3.216667|label_size=80|label=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-11.666667|long=27.466667|label_size=80|label=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=31.2|long=29.916667|label_size=80|label=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=35.566667|long=-5.366667|label_size=80|label=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=15.65|long=32.483333|label_size=80|label=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=15.25|long=32.483333|label_size=80|label=

}}

{{#section-h:2015 CAF Champions League group stage|Draw}}

Each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.

{{2015 CAF Champions League Group A|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=200}}

{{2015 CAF Champions League Group B|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=200}}

{{main|2015 CAF Champions League knockout stage}}

Knockout ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule would be applied, and if still level, the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (no extra time would be played).

{{#lst:2015 CAF Champions League knockout stage|Bracket}}

In the semi-finals, the group A winners played the group B runners-up, and the group B winners played the group A runners-up, with the group winners hosting the second leg.

{{#lst:2015 CAF Champions League knockout stage|Semi-finals}}

{{main|2015 CAF Champions League Final}}

In the final, the order of legs was determined by a draw, held after the group stage draw.

{{Football box

|date=31 October 2015

|time=20:30 UTC+1

|team1=USM Alger {{flagicon|ALG}}

|score=1–2

|report=[http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/19theditionofcafchampionsleague/MatchDetails?MatchId=c9WaErCPqmZfrqFgAyC4wKkVhTXopNbj2z93CbV5%2f1o0%2fcbEc7w18UTzQ3VDPLfb Report]

|team2={{flagicon|COD}} TP Mazembe

|goals1=Seguer {{goal|89}}

|goals2=Kalaba {{goal|28}}
Samatta {{goal|79|pen.}}

|stadium=Stade Omar Hamadi, Algiers

|attendance=15.000

|referee=Gehad Grisha (Egypt)

}}

{{Football box

|date=8 November 2015

|time=15:30 UTC+2

|team1=TP Mazembe {{flagicon|COD}}

|score=2–0

|report=[http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/19theditionofcafchampionsleague/MatchDetails?MatchId=NKRYDXW5IDFGhxM0Q43biW9qLKgNsUlHAuLdPCYJOWN0O9Vijphow%2fJ9aIRWM2DI Report]

|team2={{flagicon|ALG}} USM Alger

|goals1=Samatta {{goal|74|pen.}}
Assalé {{goal|90+3}}

|goals2=

|stadium=Stade TP Mazembe, Lubumbashi

|attendance=18,000

|referee=Bakary Gassama (Gambia)

}}

• 2015 CAF Confederation Cup
• 2015 FIFA Club World Cup
• 2016 CAF Super Cup

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/19theditionofcafchampionsleague/home Orange CAF Champions League 2015], CAFonline.com

{{CAF Champions League seasons}}

{{2015 in African football (CAF)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caf Champions League 2015}}

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2015