2018–19 CAF Champions League#First round

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. As a result, theoretically a maximum of 68 teams could enter the tournament – although this level has never been reached.

For the 2018–19 CAF Champions League, the CAF uses the 2013–2017 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|url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=opWmel0tn8fFZ%2BLvtpSmDg%3D%3D |title=16 Clubs for Group Phase of CC and CL effective 2017 |publisher=CAF |date=11 May 2016 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=u%2bmEgBjJrRZliS8M%2byAGGQ%3d%3d |title=New adopted format for Club Competitions |publisher=CAF |date=30 May 2016 }}{{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:

• 2017 – 5
• 2016 – 4
• 2015 – 3
• 2014 – 2
• 2013 – 1

The following 57 teams from 46 associations entered the competition.

• For this season, the title holders (in bold italics) receive a bye to the group stage.
• Four teams (in bold) received a bye to the first round.
• The other 52 teams entered the preliminary round.

Associations are shown according to their 2013–2017 CAF 5-year ranking – those with a ranking score have their rank and score indicated.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46032899|title=Libya gain but Nigeria lose a place in Africa's continental club competitions|publisher=BBC Sport|date=30 October 2018}}

;Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}}

{{Cnote2|Note MWI|Malawi (MWI): Malawi were represented by Nyasa Big Bullets, the 2017 Malawi Premier Division runners-up, as the 2018 Malawi Premier Division was not finished in time for the 2018–19 CAF competitions (Be Forward Wanderers, the 2017 Malawi Premier Division champions, chose not to enter).{{cite web|url=https://mwnation.com/silver-bullets-in-caf-tourneys/|title=Silver, Bullets in CAF tourneys|publisher=Malawi Nation|date=14 September 2018}}}}

{{Cnote2|Note MLI|Mali (MLI): Mali were represented by Stade Malien, the 2018 Malian Cup winners, as the Malian Première Division was not played in 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.footmali.com/malifoot/comp%C3%A9titions-africaines-2019-les-diff%C3%A9rents-repr%C3%A9sentants-connus-dans-quelques-jours%20-|title=Les différents représentants connus dans quelques jours|publisher=footmali.com|date=27 September 2018}}}}

{{Cnote2|Note MOZ|Mozambique (MOZ): Mozambique were represented by UD Songo, the 2017 Moçambola champions, as the 2018 Moçambola was not finished in time for the 2018–19 CAF competitions (other teams chose not to enter despite Mozambique eligible for two entrants).{{cite web|url=http://opais.sapo.mz/fmf-ainda-sem-resposta-das-equipas-que-vao-acompanhar-a-ud-songo-nasafrotacas-|title=FMF ainda sem resposta das equipas que vão acompanhar a UD Songo nas Afrotaças|publisher=opais.sapo.mz|date=11 September 2018|access-date=9 November 2018|archive-date=18 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118112031/http://opais.sapo.mz/fmf-ainda-sem-resposta-das-equipas-que-vao-acompanhar-a-ud-songo-nasafrotacas-|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Cnote2|Note NGA|Nigeria (NGA): Nigeria were represented by Lobi Stars, the 2018 Nigeria Professional Football League leaders after 24 rounds when the league was deemed concluded, following a decision by the Nigeria Professional Football League.{{cite web|url=http://npfl.ng/league-management-company-public-statement-after-consultative-meeting/|title=League Management Company Public Statement After Consultative Meeting With Club Owners & Representatives|publisher=NPFL|date=31 August 2018|access-date=1 October 2018|archive-date=3 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903224007/http://npfl.ng/league-management-company-public-statement-after-consultative-meeting/|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Cnote2|Note SEY|Seychelles (SEY): Seychelles were represented by Light Stars, the 2018 Seychelles League Cup winners, as the 2018 Seychelles First Division was not finished in time for the 2018–19 CAF competitions.{{cite web|url=http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=261147|title=Northern Dynamo's, LightStars' opponents known|publisher=nation.sc|date=10 November 2018|access-date=10 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111043633/http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=261147|archive-date=11 November 2018|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Cnote2|Note ZIM|Zimbabwe (ZIM): Zimbabwe were represented by FC Platinum, the 2017 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League champions, as the 2018 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League was not finished in time for the 2018–19 CAF competitions.{{cite web|url=https://www.chronicle.co.zw/fc-platinum-agree-to-champions-league-action/|title=FC Platinum agree to Champions League action|publisher=Zimbabwe Chronicle|date=15 August 2018}}}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

;Associations which did not enter a team

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

• {{fba|BEN}}
• {{fba|CPV}}
• {{fba|ERI}}
• {{fba|GHA}} {{nowrap|{{small|(22nd – 4 pts)}}}}
• {{fba|GNB}}
• {{fba|MRI}}
• {{fba|REU}}
• {{fba|STP}}
• {{fba|SLE}} {{nowrap|{{small|(suspended by FIFA)}}}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/governance/news/y=2018/m=10/news=fifa-suspends-the-sierra-leone-football-association.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008121218/https://www.fifa.com/governance/news/y=2018/m=10/news=fifa-suspends-the-sierra-leone-football-association.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 October 2018|title=FIFA suspends the Sierra Leone Football Association|publisher=FIFA.com|date=5 October 2018}}
• {{fba|SOM}}

{{Div col end}}

{{Location map+|Africa|AlternativeMap=Africa location map without rivers.svg|width=600|float=left|caption=Location of teams of the 2018–19 CAF Champions League.
8px Red: Preliminary round; 8px Green: First Round;
8px Brown: Group A; 8px Orange: Group B; 8px Yellow: Group C; 8px Blue: Group D.|places=

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=36.747778|long=10.272778|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Tunis}}|mark=Black pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=30.069113|long=31.312333|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Ahly}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=30.601111|long=32.273611|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Ismaily}}|mark=Yellow pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-4.330417|long=15.310000|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Vita Club}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-11.678333|long=27.489167|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Mazembe}}|mark=Yellow pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=35.741111|long=-5.858055|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Ittihad Tanger}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=33.582867|long=-7.646817|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Wydad}}|mark=Brown pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=36.349167|long=6.625833|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|CS Constantine}}|mark=Yellow pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=31.616667|long=-2.216667|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|JS Saoura}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-26.231894|long=27.922892|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Gauteng}}|mark=Black pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=15.647222|long=32.475000|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Omdurman}}|mark=Black pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-12.975000|long=28.611389|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Copperbelt Province}}|mark=Black pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=32.101806|long=20.072417|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Benghazi}}|mark=Black pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=9.326111|long=13.399167|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Coton S}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=4.586200|long=9.654300|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|UMS}}|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=5.305278|long=-3.992222|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|ASEC Mimosas}}|mark=Brown pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=6.144424|long=-5.948709|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|SC Gagnoa}}|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-15.602697|long=32.753462|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Songo}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=7.671761|long=36.837334|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Jimma Aba Jifar}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=7.731389|long=8.520556|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Lobi Stars}}|mark=Brown pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-1.145291|long=15.974464|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Otohô}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=12.604444|long=-7.921667|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Stade Malien}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-8.969947|long=13.283672|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|1º de Agosto}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=9.509167|long=-13.712222|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Horoya}}|mark=Orange pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-26.316667|long=31.133333|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Mbabane Swallows}}|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=0.197739|long=32.532320|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Vipers}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-20.305939|long=30.056940|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Platinum}}|mark=Orange pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-1.558945|long=13.227215|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Mangasport}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-6.853563|long=39.273821|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Simba}}|mark=Blue pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-24.656800|long=25.932892|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Township Rollers}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=11.190278|long=-4.330833|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|ASFB}}|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-2.904178|long=29.831067|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Le Messager}}|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=4.374417|long=18.564389|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Stade Centrafricaine}}|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=12.100083|long=15.055139|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Elect-Sport}}|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-11.708192|long=43.248075|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Volcan Club}}|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=11.574139|long=43.131889|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Télécom}}|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=3.725000|long=8.769167|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Leones Vegetarianos}}|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=13.418993|long=-16.675165|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|GAMTEL}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-1.293889|long=36.842222|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Gor Mahia}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-29.821739|long=27.239033|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Bantu}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=6.341944|long=-10.733333|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Barrack YC}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-18.151955|long=49.415936|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|CNaPS Sport}}|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-15.798889|long=35.034500|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Nyasa Big Bullets}}|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=20.913405|long=-17.046667|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|FC Nouadhibou}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-22.515833|long=17.060556|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|African Stars}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=13.511667|long=2.125278|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|SONIDEP}}|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-1.978106|long=30.044125|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|APR}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=14.849728|long=-17.174192|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|ASC Diaraf}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-4.321547|long=55.689174|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Light Stars}}|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=7.7|long=28|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Hilal Wau}}|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=9.028591|long=1.412302|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Koroki}}|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Africa|lat=-6.133333|long=39.316667|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|JKU}}|position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Africa|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |marksize=1 |lat=-15 |long=-20 |label_size=70 |label=

{{nowrap|Benghazi teams}}

{{nowrap|8px Al-Nasr SC

8px Al-Ahly Benghazi}}

{{nowrap|Copperbelt Province teams}}

{{nowrap|8px ZESCO United

8px Nkana}}

{{nowrap|Omdurman teams}}

{{nowrap|8px Al-Hilal

8px Al-Merrikh}}

|position=right

}}

{{Location map~ |Africa|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |marksize=1 |lat=-20.9 |long=-2 |label_size=70 |label=

{{nowrap|Tunis teams}}

{{nowrap|8px Espérance de Tunis

8px Club Africain}}

{{nowrap|Gauteng teams}}

{{nowrap|8px Mamelodi Sundowns

8px Orlando Pirates}}

|position=right

}}

}}

{{clear}}

The schedule of the competition was as follows (matches scheduled in midweek in italics).{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/Portals/0/Total%20CL%202018/Annex%201.pdf|title=Interclubs competition calendar; seasons 2018/19, 2019/20 & 2020/21 |publisher=CAF}} Effective from the Champions League group stage, weekend matches were played on Fridays and Saturdays while midweek matches were played on Tuesdays, with some exceptions. Kick-off times were also fixed at 13:00 (Saturdays and Tuesdays only), 16:00 and 19:00 GMT.{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-US/NewsCenter/News/NewsDetails?id=zR9zxKl6pPkfRfbmCwr%2bnw%3d%3d|title=Friday & Saturday for Champions League, Sunday for Confederation Cup|publisher=CAF|date=17 April 2018}}

{{main|2018–19 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|Draw}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|Format}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|Preliminary round}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|Bracket}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds|First round}}

{{main|2018–19 CAF Champions League group stage}}

{{trim|{{#section-h:2018–19 CAF Champions League group stage|Draw}}}}

In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the quarter-finals of the knockout stage.

{{:2018–19 CAF Champions League group stage|transcludesection=Group A|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=200}}

{{:2018–19 CAF Champions League group stage|transcludesection=Group B|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=200}}

{{:2018–19 CAF Champions League group stage|transcludesection=Group C|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=200}}

{{:2018–19 CAF Champions League group stage|transcludesection=Group D|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=200}}

{{main|2018–19 CAF Champions League knockout stage}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League knockout stage|Format}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League knockout stage|Bracket}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League knockout stage|Quarter-finals}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League knockout stage|Semi-finals}}

{{main|2019 CAF Champions League Final}}

{{#lst:2018–19 CAF Champions League knockout stage|Final}}

{{smalldiv|{{legend|silver|Team eliminated / inactive for this round.}}}}

• 2018–19 CAF Confederation Cup
• 2020 CAF Super Cup
• 2019 FIFA Club World Cup

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/championsleague20182019/home Total CAF Champions League 2018/2019], CAFonline.com

{{CAF Champions League seasons}}

{{2018–19 in African football (CAF)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caf Champions League 2018-19}}

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