Best Football Clubs In Africa, 2025 (CAF Club Ranking)

Top Clubs: Al Ahly (1st), Mamelodi Sundowns (2nd), Espérance de Tunis (3rd)

Key Insight: Rankings reflect 5-year performance in CAF Champions League & Confederation Cup, with recent achievements weighted higher.

Emerging Team: Ghana’s Dreams FC debuts in top 30 (26th) after historic CAF Confederation Cup run.

2025 CAF Club Rankings Overview

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially unveiled its 2025 Club Rankings, serving as a critical benchmark ahead of the Preliminary Round Draw for continental competitions. The rankings reflect club performances across the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup over the past five seasons, with added weight given to more recent achievements.

Top Performers

Al Ahly FC of Egypt continue to dominate the continental scene, sitting comfortably at the top with 78 points, followed by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns (62 points) and Tunisia’s Espérance Sportive de Tunis (57 points). Morocco’s RS Berkane (52 points) and Tanzania’s Simba SC (48 points) complete the top five, each club making significant strides in recent seasons.

Notable Climbers

One of the most impressive stories in this year’s rankings is Ghana’s Dreams FC, who have broken into the top 30 for the first time in their history, ranking 26th with 12 points. The Ghanaian side’s historic run to the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals last season has been instrumental in their rise. Dreams FC’s campaign ended at the hands of Zamalek SC, who are placed 7th with 42 points.

The club’s performance not only earned them continental recognition but has also positioned them favorably ahead of the new Ghana Premier League season. Their semi-final appearance, marked by bold attacking football and a fearless approach against bigger opponents, has clearly paid dividends in their continental standing.

Established Contenders

Elsewhere, USM Alger (9th), Wydad AC (8th), and Zamalek SC (7th) remain among the elite, while clubs like Stellenbosch FC, Rivers United, and Future FC have shown steady growth and now find themselves in the top 30, signaling a shift in African football’s competitive balance.

Full Top 12 Rankings

  • 1 Al Ahly
  • 2 Mamelodi Sundowns
  • 3 Espérance de Tunis
  • 4 RS Berkane
  • 5 Simba
  • 6 Pyramids
  • 7 Zamalek
  • 8 Wydad AC
  • 9 USM Alger
  • 10 CR Belouizdad
  • 11 Al-Hilal
  • 12 Yanga Africa

As CAF prepares to conduct the draws for its 2025 club competitions, these rankings will play a pivotal role in determining seedings and pairings, offering an advantage to the higher-ranked clubs.