South Africa's flag bearers in the CAF Champions League – Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates – have earned the country the benefit of remaining in the top five bracket for next year's club competitions.
This is according to the CAF 5-year association ranking.
READ: Downs stick chest out for Club World Cup
The association ranking for the 2025/26 CAF club competitions is based on results from the Champions League and Confederations for the period from 2020/21 to 2024/25.
CAF hands the countries ranked in the top 12 the benefit of entering two clubs in the two competitions.
As it stands with Sundowns and Pirates in the last eight in the Champions League plus Stellenbosch in the Confederation Cup quarterfinals there will be the benefit of wider options for earning more points.
South Africa has added at least 30 points added by virtue of having two teams in the Champions League quarters plus 10 from having Stellies at the same stage in the second-tier competition.
This pushes South Africa's tally in the period under review to 111 points so far.
There will be further points earned by progressing further with four (semi-finals), five (runners-up), and six (winners) in the Champions League while the Confederation Cup offers one point less.
These points are multiplied on a scale of five for the most recent season and downwards up to a period of five years ago.
Only Egypt has more teams than South Africa in the knockout stages of both competitions this year with four – Al Ahly, Pyramids, Zamalek, and Al Masry.
Egypt (170.5) is the top ranked association followed by Morocco (127), with Algeria (125)in third, South Africa (111) fourth, and Tunisia (82.5) fifth.
The rest of the top 12 countries are Tanzania (72.5), Angola (55), DR Congo (45), Sudan (40), Cote d'Ivoire (38), Libya (24), and Nigeria (21).
READ: Silverware smell for Ngezana again
No country outside the top 12 has a club in the last eight in both competitions this year.
Fourth place has been the highest ever ranking for South Africa on the CAF 5-year rankings since 2011.
You must be Sign In to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!