Al Ahly and Raja Casablanca renew rivalry in demanding CAF Confederation Cup group

Al Ahly and Raja Casablanca will meet again after being drawn together in the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, setting up one of the competition’s most significant Arab derbies.

The fixture brings together two of African football’s best-supported clubs and carries a history that extends beyond the importance of three points. Their closely matched level has regularly produced competitive and entertaining encounters, whether in knockout ties or battles for continental honours.

The latest meeting also revives memories of decisive clashes in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Super Cup, where the two sides have faced one another several times in recent years.

Al Ahly had the upper hand in the clubs’ CAF Champions League quarter-final meetings in 2022 and 2023. The Egyptian side also won the 2021 CAF Super Cup, prevailing 7-6 on penalties after the match ended 1-1.

Their earlier history includes a notable final in the 1996 Arab Club Champions Cup. Played in Cairo, that match ended with Al Ahly beating Raja Casablanca 3-1.

Those results, however, offer no guarantee ahead of the new contest. The group-stage meeting gives both teams the chance to begin another chapter in their rivalry, with each seeking to strengthen its position and progress further in the competition.

According to Transfermarkt data, Al Ahly and Raja Casablanca have played 11 African matches against each other. Al Ahly have won four, Raja Casablanca have recorded two victories, and the remaining five games have ended in draws. Al Ahly have scored 13 goals in those fixtures, compared with 11 for Raja Casablanca.

The group also contains ASKO Kara of Togo and Primeiro do Agosto of Angola, adding importance to every result in the qualification race. With four teams competing for progress, dropped points could have a significant effect on the final standings.

The meeting between Al Ahly and Raja Casablanca is therefore more than a repeat of a familiar continental rivalry. It is also a fixture that could shape the group’s direction, as both clubs attempt to establish an early advantage against opponents with their own ambitions of reaching the next stage.