CAF Champions League: old rivals meet again in Group C

RS Berkane, Simba and Orlando Pirates share memories of decisive continental encounters. Their next meetings will bring a different challenge. Drawn together in Group C of the 2026-27 CAF Champions League, they will compete with Colombe Sportive for two places in the quarter-finals. All four are among the sixteen clubs to reach this season’s group stage.

The draw on 28 October brought together clubs linked by several Confederation Cup knockout ties: Berkane faced Pirates in the 2022 final, Pirates met Simba in that season’s quarter-finals, and Berkane played Simba in the 2025 final. Berkane won both finals, while Pirates eliminated Simba in the quarter-finals.

Berkane meet two former final opponents

Two fixtures will recall trophy-winning occasions for Berkane. The Moroccan club beat Orlando Pirates on penalties to win the Confederation Cup in 2022. Three years later, they defeated Simba to claim their third title in the competition, following their triumphs in 2020 and 2022.

The 2025 final was played over two legs. Berkane won the home match 2-0 before drawing 1-1 in Zanzibar on 25 May, completing a 3-1 aggregate victory. It remains a recent reference point for both sides. Their forthcoming meetings will nevertheless take place in a different competition and within a group campaign, rather than a two-legged final.

Pirates and Simba have their own shared past

Orlando Pirates and Simba also needed a penalty shoot-out to settle their 2022 Confederation Cup quarter-final. With the aggregate score level at 1-1, the South African side advanced. Pirates subsequently reached the final, where Berkane denied them the trophy.

Those encounters explain why this group attracts attention beyond the draw itself. They provide context, rather than a reliable forecast. Each club will play six group matches, and consistency across the whole programme will matter alongside the most eagerly awaited meetings. Points against every opponent will count towards the same two qualifying positions.

Colombe begin a new stage of their journey

Colombe Sportive bring a different story to the group. The Cameroonian club are preparing for their first Champions League group-stage campaign. It represents a new stage in their continental journey after appearances in the preliminary rounds.

Sharing a group with three clubs whose recent paths have crossed in the Confederation Cup gives Colombe an opportunity to establish reference points of their own. Their challenge will be to earn points against opponents accustomed to extended continental campaigns.

For all four teams, the objective is straightforward: finish in the top two and reach the quarter-finals. Their contrasting histories make Group C compelling, but the next chapter will be decided by the points earned during this campaign.