CAF Women’s Champions League 2024: All You Need to Know About the Teams Involved

In the fourth edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League, CAFOnline offers an overview of the teams participating in the final stages of this tournament.

They include reigning champions,  Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Aigles de la Medina (Senegal), Edo Queens (Nigeria), AS FAR (Morocco), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), University of Western Cape (South Africa), Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (Ethiopia), and the representative of the host country, who will be revealed later.

 

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

How the Team Qualified

As reigning champions from last season’s edition, Sundowns Ladies gained automatic qualification to the finals.

 

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies is a club based in Pretoria, South Africa, formed in 2009 and participating in the SAFA National Women’s League.

In 2012, Jerry Tshabalala took over the reins of the team. The following year, the team won its first national title, defeating Ma Indies 2–0 in the final of the National Championships. In 2015, Sundowns again claimed the title, overpowering Cape Town Roses 4-0 in the final.

They have also been reigning champions of the SAFA National League since its inception.

Thanks to this success, they represented South Africa in the first edition of the COSAFA Women’s Champions League, a qualifying tournament for the CAF Women’s Champions League.

The South Africans won the final against the Black Rhinos Queens of Zimbabwe and qualified for the finals of the CAF Champions League in Cairo, where they defeated the Ghanaian Hasaacas Ladies FC 2-0 in the final in 2021.

In 2022, they lost their regional title after a penalty shootout defeat against the Green Buffaloes (0-0, 6-5) but still qualified for the CAF Champions League as title holders. During the continental tournament, the Brazilians reached the final again but fell to Moroccan hosts AS FAR, finishing the match with nine players and losing 4-0.

The club was crowned South African champions for the third consecutive time in 2022. Sundowns triumphed again in the COSAFA Champions League, defeating Botswana’s Double Action 2-0 in the final, which secured their qualification for the CAF Women’s Champions League for the third time. After finishing first in their group, they faced AS FAR in the semi-finals—a team they had never beaten. A single goal from Boitumelo Rabale secured a 1-0 victory, allowing them to reach the final for the third consecutive year. Mamelodi Sundowns then won the final against Sporting Club Casablanca by 3-0, clinching their second CAF Women’s Champions League title.

 

Achievements

 

South African Championship Winner: 2013, 2015, 2019-2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Champions LeagueWinner: 2021, 2023

Runner-up: 2022

COSAFA Tournament Winner: 2021, 2023

Runner-up: 2022

Aigles de la Medina (Senegal)

Ranked fourth before the last day of the WAFU A tournament, Aigles de la Medina secured victory against Determine Girls FC. With the Mogbwemo Queens playing out to a draw, Aigles won the tournament, becoming the first Senegalese team to qualify for the finals.

The Aigles de la Medina football club, based in Dakar, Senegal has been affiliated with the Senegalese Football Federation since 1999. The team has won the national championship twice, in 2003 and 2007, as well as the Senegal Cup three times, in 2005, 2006 and 2009. In the 2020-2021 season, Aigles de la Medina led the championship but ultimately lost to the Amazons of Grand-Yoff on the final day, allowing Dakar Sacré-Cœur to claim the title.

In 2023, the Aigles faced challenges when key players were transferred to competing clubs, making it difficult for the team to maintain its top-flight status. Nevertheless, in 2024, they reclaimed the championship title for the first time in seven years. They also won the National Cup, achieving a historic double. This performance allowed them to qualify for the CAF Women’s Champions League qualifying tournament.

Achievements

Senegalese Championship Winner: 2003, 2007, 2024

Runner-up: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2021

Senegal CupWinner: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2024

WAFU A Tournament Winner: 2024

Edo Queens (Nigeria)

Seven teams participated in the WAFU Zone B tournament. Edo Queens were unbeaten in this competition and secured their place in the final phase of the CAF Women’s Champions League.

About Edo Queens

Edo Queens women’s football team has established itself as a key reference in Nigeria’s women’s football landscape. Based in Benin, Edo State, the team has a rich legacy of success both nationally and internationally. Known for their technical and dynamic play, Edo Queens are perennial contenders for the title in Nigeria’s Women’s First Division. Off the field, the team is actively involved in community programs to promote women’s empowerment through sport. Edo Queens embody not only sporting excellence but also serve as role models and ambassadors for football in Nigeria.

Achievements

Nigerian Championship Winner: 2024

WAFU B TournamentWinner: 2024

Tout Puissant Mazembe (DR Congo)

On the third day of the UNIFFAC tournament, TP Mazembe and Lekié FF ended in a 1-1 draw, which allowed the Congolese team to triumph in the tournament. This marks their second qualification for the finals since the 2022 edition.

About TP Mazembe

TP Mazembe Women’s Football Club, based in Lubumbashi, was founded on 28 September 2020. Shortly after its formation, the Corbelles achieved the feat of winning the Lubumbashi and Haut-Katanga championships in 2021. Their provincial dominance quickly extended to the national level, with three Democratic Republic of Congo Championships to their name.

After winning the 2022 edition of UNIFFAC, TP Mazembe failed to advance past the group stage of the CAF Women’s Champions League.

Achievements

DR Congo Championship Winner: 2022, 2023, 2024

DR Congo CupWinner: 2022

UNIFFAC TournamentWinner: 2022, 2024

University of the Western Cape (South Africa)

The COSAFA tournament was hosted in Blantyre in Malawi, where the eight champions from the COSAFA zone competed for a spot in the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League. As Mamelodi Sundowns have already qualified, South Africa will have two clubs represented by both Sundowns and the University of the Western Cape. This is the students’ first participation in the COSAFA tournament.

About the University of the Western Cape

The University of the Western Cape Women’s Football Club, also known as UWC Ladies FC represents the university located in Belleville, Western Cape. The first team competes in the SAFA Women’s League, the largest women’s football league in South Africa. UWC won the university championship in 2021 and 2023. In July 2024, it was confirmed that the second-placed team in the 2023 SAFA Women’s League would represent South Africa in the COSAFA qualifiers for the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League, making them the first university to participate in and win the Women’s Champions League qualifiers.

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (Ethiopia)

The East African ticket for the CAF Women’s Champions League was contested in Addis Ababa. Finalists in 2021 and 2023, the players of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia sought to achieve a historic feat before their home crowd and access the most prestigious competition in women’s football. After dominating the group stage, the Ethiopians excelled in the knockout rounds and qualified for the finals.

About Commercial Bank of Ethiopia

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Women’s Sports Association, known as CBE, is an Ethiopian women’s football club based in Addis Ababa, the capital. The club won its first two Ethiopian championship titles in 2014 and 2015. After five years of being dominated by Dedebit FC and Adama City, the club signed Ethiopian star Loza Abera in 2020 and won the Ethiopian league again that same year. CBE represented Ethiopia in the first edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League but lost in the final of the CECAFA qualifying tournament to the Vihiga Queens of Kenya. In 2023, CBE won the championship for the third consecutive time, representing their country again in the East African Women’s Champions League qualifiers, but once again fell in the final to Tanzania’s JKT Queens.

Achievements

Ethiopian Championship Winner: 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Ethiopian CupWinner: 2012, 2013

CECAFA TournamentWinner: 2024

Finalist: 2021, 2023

Royal Armed Forces “AS FAR” (Morocco)

Third place in the last edition of the Women’s Champions League, AS FAR is back in the UNAF tournament since its last participation in 2021. The Moroccans aim to assert their status as favorites against ASF Sousse, Akbou FC, and Tutankhamun.

About AS FAR

The women’s club of the Royal Armed Forces Sports Association, based in Salé, was promoted to the Moroccan first division in 2009. The team won its first Moroccan championship title in the 2012/2013 season, defeating Wydad Athletic Club 2-0 in the final. Since then, they have been crowned champions multiple times, except for the 2014/2015 season when they finished second behind a team from Laayoune.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the 2019-2020 season, the club won all of its matches and claimed its seventh title. They also qualified for the first edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League, where they earned a bronze medal in 2021. The following year, the Moroccan champions hosted the continental competition and won the final against Mamelodi Sundowns with a score of 4-0. In 2023, AS FAR finished third in the CAF Women’s Champions League, winning their match against Ampem Darkoa 2-0.

Achievements

Moroccan Championship Winner: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Throne CupWinner: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

UNAF TournamentWinner: 2021, 2024

CAF Women’s Champions LeagueWinner: 2022

Third Place: 2021, 2023

Source:norvanreports.com