A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 2018–19 Total CAF Champions League | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Dates | 27 November 2018 – 31 May 2019 |
| Teams | 57 (from 46 associations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Espérance de Tunis (4th title) |
| Runners-up |  Wydad AC |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 144 |
| Goals scored | 338 (2.35 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Themba Zwane (5 goals) |
The 2018–19 CAF Champions League (officially the 2018–19 Total CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the 55th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 23rd edition under the current CAF Champions League title.
This season followed a transitional calendar which allows the CAF club competitions to switch from a February-to-November schedule to an August–to-May schedule, as per the decision of the CAF Executive Committee on 20 July 2017.[2] It began in December 2018, right after the 2018 season had finished, and ended in May 2019, before the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (which had been switched from a January/February to a June/July date). The next season then started after the Africa Cup of Nations and followed the new calendar.[3]
Defending champions Espérance de Tunis won a second consecutive title, being declared the winners after their second leg match against Wydad AC in the final was abandoned.
As winners of the 2018–19 CAF Champions League, Espérance de Tunis qualified for the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, and earned the right to play against the winners of the 2018–19 CAF Confederation Cup, Zamalek, in the 2020 CAF Super Cup.[4]
Association team allocation
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.[4] 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:[5][6][7]
| CAF Champions League | CAF Confederation Cup | |
|---|---|---|
| Winners | 6 points | 5 points |
| Runners-up | 5 points | 4 points |
| Losing semi-finalists | 4 points | 3 points |
| Losing quarter-finalists (from 2017) | 3 points | 2 points |
| 3rd place in groups | 2 points | 1 point |
| 4th place in groups | 1 point | 0.5 point |
The points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follows:
- 2017 – 5
- 2016 – 4
- 2015 – 3
- 2014 – 2
- 2013 – 1
Teams
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.[8]
- 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.[9]
- Notes
- ^ 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).[10]
- ^ Mali (MLI): Mali were represented by Stade Malien, the 2018 Malian Cup winners, as the Malian Première Division was not played in 2018.[11]
- ^ 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).[12]
- ^ 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.[13]
- ^ 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.[14]
- ^ 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.[15]
- Associations which did not enter a team
Benin
Cape Verde
Eritrea
Ghana (22nd – 4 pts)
Guinea-Bissau
Mauritius
Réunion
São Tomé and Príncipe
Sierra Leone (suspended by FIFA)[16]
Somalia
Al-Nasr SC Al-Ahly BenghaziCopperbelt Province teams
ZESCO United NkanaOmdurman teams
Al-Hilal
Al-Merrikh Red: Preliminary round; Green: First Round;
Brown: Group A; 
Orange: Group B; 
Yellow: Group C; 
Blue: Group D.Schedule
The schedule of the competition was as follows (matches scheduled in midweek in italics).[8] 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.[17]
| Phase | Round | Draw date | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying | Preliminary round | 3 November 2018 (Rabat, Morocco)[18] |
27–28 November 2018 | 4–5 December 2018 |
| First round | 14–16 December 2018 | 21–23 December 2018 | ||
| Group stage | Matchday 1 | 28 December 2018 (Cairo, Egypt)[19] |
11–12 January 2019 | |
| Matchday 2 | 18–19 January 2019 | |||
| Matchday 3 | 1–2 February 2019 | |||
| Matchday 4 | 12 February 2019 | |||
| Matchday 5 | 8–9 March 2019 | |||
| Matchday 6 | 15–16 March 2019 | |||
| Knockout stage | Quarter-finals | 20 March 2019 (Cairo, Egypt)[20] |
5–6 April 2019 | 12–13 April 2019 |
| Semi-finals | 26–27 April 2019 | 3–4 May 2019 | ||
| Final | 24–25 May 2019 | 31 May – 1 June 2019 | ||
Qualifying rounds
The draw for the preliminary round and first round was held on 3 November 2018 in Rabat, Morocco, and was officially announced by the CAF on 9 November due to a special situation with the transitional calendar.[21][22][23]
In the qualifying rounds, each tie was 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 tied, extra time would not be played, and the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (Regulations III. 13 & 14).[4]
Preliminary round
| Team 1 | Agg. | Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=2018–19_CAF_Champions_League
|---|