Express FC will return to continental football for the first time in 13 years. The Red Eagles last featured on the continent in 2008, playing in the CAF Confederation Cup.
After ejecting AS Inter Star from Burundi in the preliminary round, Express FC faced Congo’s AS Vita and the latter advanced on penalties after two goalless draws over the two legs.
In 2012, Express FC had the opportunity to represent Uganda in the CAF Champions League but due to financial constraints, they pulled out.
In this Article, Joel Muyita looks at the teams that Express FC is likely to face in this year’s preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
For starters, a total of 54 teams have confirmed to take part in the 2021/22 CAF Champions League. and CAF has set a deadline of 15th August for the teams to register their players on the Content Management System (CMS).
The top 12 ranked Associations according to the CAF 5-year grading will enter two clubs. These include; South Africa, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, DR Congo, Guinea, Morocco, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia.
10 teams will receive a bye at the preliminary round. These have been ranked according to the CAF 2021/22 season ratings
- Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
- Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
- Al Ahly (Egypt)
- Zamalek (Egypt)
- Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia)
- Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
- TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
- Horoya AC (Guinea)
- Simba (Tanzania)
With the aforementioned 10 teams earning a bye at the preliminary round, the next step has 8 teams that are referred to as ranked clubs. These include;
- CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
- E.S Setif (Algeria)
- El Hilal (Sudan)
- Al Merrikh (Sudan)
- Atletico Petro de Luanda (Angola)
- Zesco United (Zambia)
- Zanaco FC (Zambia)
- FC Platinum FC (Zimbabwe)
The remaining 36 teams including Express FC are placed into five pots. The Red Eagles are in Pot 2 that has 10 teams. These are Le Messager Ngozi (Burundi), Arta Solar 7 (Djibouti), Fasil Kenema (Ethiopia), Tusker FC (Kenya), Al Ittihad (Libya), USGN (Niger), APR FC (Rwanda), Mogadishu City Club (Somalia), KMKM SC (Zanzibar).
Therefore, Express FC can not be pooled against the above teams.
Pot 1
- AS Sonabel (Burkina Faso)
- Fortune FC (Gambia)
- Hearts of Oak (Ghana)
- CI Kamsar (Guinea)
- LPRC Oilers (Liberia)
- Stade Malien (Mali)
- Akwa Utd (Nigeria)
- ASKO Kara (Togo)
Pot 2
- Le Messager Ngozi (Burundi)
- Arta Solar 7 (Djibouti)
- Fasil Kenema (Ethiopia)
- Tusker FC (Kenya)
- Al Ittihad (Libya)
- USGN (Niger)
- APR FC (Rwanda)
- Mogadishu CC(Somalia)
- Express SC (Uganda)
- KMKM SC (Zanzibar)
Pot 3
- GDSE (Angola)
- Jwaneng Galaxy(Botswana)
- Fovu de Baham (Cameroon)
- Diplomate FC (Central African Republic)
- Akonangui (Equatorial Guinea)
- Royal Leopards (Eswatini)
- AS Bouenguidi (Gabon)
- Nyasa Big Bullets (Malawi)
- AS Maniema (DR Congo)
- AmaZulu FC (RSA)
Pot 4
- Tengueth FC (Senegal)
- ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
- ESAE FC (Benin)
- FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
Pot 5
- UD do Songo (Mozambique)
- AS Otoho d’Oyo (Congo)
- Young Africans (Tanzania)
- Rivers United (Nigeria)
Draw Procedures
The draw shall first determine the non-ranked clubs that will eventually play against
the exempted ones. Following that, non-ranked clubs will be drawn to face the ranked
ones in the 1st preliminary round. These steps shall be done for all 3 geographical
groupings.
Draw 2 balls from pot 1. The ball drawn first shall play the first leg of the preliminary
round at home. This step shall be done 3 times.
- Winner of the 1st fixture shall play against W.A.C (MAR) in the 2nd preliminary round,
- Winner of the 2nd fixture shall play against Raja C.A (MAR) in the 2nd preliminary round,
- Winner of the 3rd fixture shall play against Horoya A.C (GUI) in the 2nd preliminary round.
Draw 1 ball from pot 1. The ball drawn shall play the 1st preliminary round against CR
Belouizdad (ALG).
Draw the remaining ball from pot 1. The ball drawn shall play the 1st preliminary round
against E.S.Sétif (ALG).
Draw 2 balls from pot 2. The ball drawn first shall play the first leg of the preliminary
round at home. This step shall be done 4 times. - Winner of the 1st fixture shall play against Al Ahly (EGY) in the 2nd preliminary round,
- Winner of the 2nd fixture shall play against E.S.T (TUN) in the 2nd preliminary round,
- Winner of the 3rd fixture shall play against Zamalek (EGY) in the 2nd preliminary round,
- Winner of the 4th fixture shall play against E.S.S (TUN) in the 2nd preliminary round.
Draw 1 ball from pot 2. The ball drawn shall play the 1st preliminary round against El
Hilal (SUD).
Draw the remaining ball from pot 2. The ball drawn shall play the 1st preliminary round
against Al Merrikh (SUD).
Draw 2 balls from pot 3. The ball drawn first shall play the first leg of the preliminary
round at home. This step shall be done 3 times. - Winner of the 1st fixture shall play against Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) in the 2nd
preliminary round, - Winner of the 2nd fixture shall play against TP Mazeme (RDC) in the 2nd preliminary round,
- Winner of the 3rd fixture shall play against Simba SC (TAN) in the 2nd preliminary round.
Draw 1 ball from pot 3. The ball drawn shall play the 1st preliminary round against
Atletico Petroleos (ANG).
Repeat this procedure 3 times with the ball drawn playing against Zesco United (ZAM),
Zanaco FC (ZAM) & FC Platinum (ZIM) respectively in the 1st preliminary round.
The winner of the fixture of Zesco United (ZAM) will play the 2nd preliminary round
against the winner of the fixture of FC Platinum (ZIM). The latter will play the first leg
at home.
The winner of the fixture of Zanaco FC (ZAM) will play the 2nd preliminary round against
the winner of the fixture of Al Merrikh (SUD). The latter will play the first leg at home.
Draw 2 balls from pot 4. The winner of this fixture will play the 2nd preliminary round
against the winner of the fixture of CR Belouizdad (ALG). The latter will play the return
leg at home.
Draw the 2 remaining balls in pot 4. The winner of this fixture will play the 2nd
preliminary round against the winner of the fixture of E.S.Sétif (ALG). The latter will
play the return leg at home.
Draw 2 balls from pot 5. The winner of this fixture will play the 2nd preliminary round
against the winner of the fixture of El Hilal (SUD). The latter will play the return leg at
home.
Draw the 2 remaining balls in pot 5. The winner of this fixture will play the 2nd
preliminary round against the winner of the fixture of Atletico Petroleos (ANG). The
latter will play the return leg at home.
Attached a template of the draw with the pre-determined clubs already put in their
corresponding positions.
The ball drawn first shall play the first leg at home.
The non-ranked clubs shall play the first leg of the preliminary round at home.
If a drawn ball results in a fixture opposing two clubs of the same country, the ball
immediately drawn before it shall be interchanged with it.
