MC Alger, the only Algerian club still in the running, have been drawn in Group B of the CAF Champions League alongside Zamalek, Club Africain and Young Africans. The future of their coach Khaled Ben Yahia remains uncertain.
The draw for the group stage of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League, held on Wednesday 28 October in Cairo, placed MC Alger in Group B. According to CAF, as reported by La Gazette du Fennec, the Algerian club will face Zamalek (Egypt), Club Africain (Tunisia) and Young Africans (Tanzania).
As the only Algerian representative still in the competition, MCA find themselves up against three foreign clubs. La Gazette du Fennec describes it as a “group of death”, an assessment by the outlet rather than official information.
A Group B with many faces
Zamalek, five-time African champions, top this list of opponents. MC Alger won the competition in 1976.
Club Africain are back in the group stage for the first time since the 2018-2019 season, after eliminating TP Mazembe (2-1 on aggregate), according to AfricaFootUnited and Webdo. Young Africans, crowned Tanzanian champions, complete the quartet.
MCA had to battle to reach this stage. Against Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers, they overturned a compromised situation, reports Algerie360.
Khaled Ben Yahia, a lingering uncertainty
In the Mouloudia dugout, the future of coach Khaled Ben Yahia remains unclear. Reported to be on his way out, he has not yet had his fate sealed, according to La Gazette du Fennec. A decision on his future at MC Alger is still awaited.
A packed schedule
The group stage will begin on 27 November 2026. Matchday one is played from 27 to 29 November: Zamalek host Club Africain in Cairo, according to Egypt Telegraph. MC Alger will then welcome Zamalek to Algiers from 4 to 6 December for matchday two.
The final matchday is scheduled for 22, 23 and 24 January 2027. Only the top two in each group qualify for the quarter-finals, RFI recalls. The defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, were already eliminated in the second preliminary round by Wiliete SC (Angola).