The 2012 CAF Champions League (also known as the 2012 Orange CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons) was the 48th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 16th edition under the current CAF Champions League format.

Al-Ahly from Egypt won a record-extending seventh title, defeating Espérance ST from Tunisia with a 3–2 win on aggregate in the final. They qualified for the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, and also earned the right to play in the 2013 CAF Super Cup.

Association team allocation Theoretically, up to 55 CAF member associations may enter the 2012 CAF Champions League, with the 12 highest ranked associations according to CAF 5-year ranking eligible to enter 2 teams in the competition. For this year's competition, CAF used 2006-10 5-Year ranking. As a result, a maximum of 67 teams could enter the tournament – although this level has never been reached.

Ranking system

CAF calculates points for each entrant association based on their clubs’ performance over the last 5 years in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, not taking into consideration the running year. The criteria for points are the following:

CAF Champions LeagueCAF Confederation CupWinner5 points4 pointsRunner-up4 points3 pointsLosing semi-finalists3 points2 points3rd place in groups2 points1 point4th place in groups1 point1 point

The points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follow: 2010 – 5 2009 – 4 2008 – 3 2007 – 2 2006 – 1

Entrants list Below is the entrants list for the competition. Nations are shown according to their 2006–2010 CAF 5-year ranking – those with a ranking score have their rank and score indicated. Teams were also seeded using their individual 2007–2011 5-Year team Ranking. The top thirteen sides (shown in bold) received byes to the first qualifying round.

AssociationClubQualifying methodAssociations with two entrants (Ranked 1–12) Tunisia(1st - 97 pts)Espérance ST(1st – 42 pts)2010–11 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 championÉtoile du Sahel(6th – 17 pts)2010–11 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up Egypt(2nd - 81 pts)Al-Ahly(4th – 36 pts)2010–11 Egyptian Premier League championZamalek(=15th – 2 pts)2010–11 Egyptian Premier League runner-up Congo DR(3rd - 60 pts)TP Mazembe(2nd – 41 pts)2011 Linafoot championAS Vita Club(14th – 3 pts)2011 Linafoot runner-up Nigeria(4th - 58 pts)Dolphins(=15th – 2 pts)2010–11 Nigeria Premier League championSunshine Stars(=10th – 10 pts)2010–11 Nigeria Premier League runner-up Sudan(5th - 47 pts)Al-Merreikh(=10th – 10 pts)2011 Sudan Premier League championAl-Hilal(3rd – 37 pts)2011 Sudan Premier League runner-up Algeria(6th - 45 pts)ASO Chlef2010–11 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 championJSM Béjaïa2010–11 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up Morocco(7th - 27 pts)Raja Casablanca(12th – 5 pts)2010–11 Botola championMaghreb de Fès(7th – 15 pts)2010–11 Botola runner-up Mali(8th - 21 pts)Stade Malien(8th – 12 pts)2010–11 Malian Première Division championDjoliba(13th – 4 pts)2010–11 Malian Première Division runner-up Zimbabwe(9th - 18 pts)Dynamos(=10th – 10 pts)2011 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League championFC Platinum2011 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League runner-up Cameroon(11th - 14 pts)Coton Sport(5th – 18 pts)2010–11 Cameroonian Premier League championLes Astres(17th – 1 pt)2010–11 Cameroonian Premier League runner-up Ivory Coast(=12th - 13 pts)†Africa Sports2011 Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division championAFAD Djékanou2011 Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division runner-upAssociations with one entrant (Fewer ranking points than the 12th CAF association) Angola(=12th - 13 pts)†Recreativo do Libolo2011 Girabola champion Zambia(=12th - 13 pts)†Power Dynamos2011 Zambian Premier League champion Ghana(15th - 6 pts)Berekum Chelsea2010–11 Ghana Premier League champion Niger(=16th - 5 pts)ASGNN2010–11 Niger Premier League champion South Africa(=16th - 5 pts)Orlando Pirates2010–11 Premier Soccer League champion Equatorial Guinea(18th - 1 pt)CD Elá Nguema2011 Equatoguinean Premier League champion BeninTonnerre2010–11 Benin Premier League leader (league suspended) Burkina FasoASFA Yennenga2010–11 Burkinabé Premier League champion BurundiAthlético Olympic2010–11 Burundi Premier League champion Central African RepublicDFC 8ème Arrondissement2011 Central African Republic League champion ChadFoullah Edifice2011 Ligue de N'Djaména champion ComorosCoin Nord2011 Comoros Premier League champion CongoDiables Noirs2011 Congo Premier League champion EthiopiaEthiopian Coffee2010–11 Ethiopian Premier League champion GabonMissile2010–11 Gabon Championnat National D1 champion GambiaBrikama United2011 GFA League First Division champion GuineaHoroya AC2011 Guinée Championnat National champion KenyaTusker2011 Kenyan Premier League champion LesothoLesotho Correctional Services2010–11 Lesotho Premier League champion LiberiaLISCR2010–11 Liberian Premier League champion MadagascarJapan Actuel's2011 THB Champions League champion MozambiqueLiga Muçulmana2011 Moçambola champion RwandaAPR2010–11 Rwandan Premier League champion SenegalUS Ouakam2011 Senegal Premier League champion Sierra LeonePorts Authority2011 Sierra Leone National Premier League champion SwazilandGreen Mamba2010–11 Swazi Premier League champion TanzaniaYoung Africans2010–11 Tanzanian Premier League champion UgandaURA2010–11 Ugandan Super League champion ZanzibarMafunzo2011 Zanzibar Premier League champion

Notes Associations that did not enter a team: Libya (seeded 10th with 16 ranking points and entitled to two entrants), Botswana, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Réunion, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Somalia, Togo † According to the formula for calculating the CAF 5-year ranking, Angola, Ivory Coast and Zambia are tied 12th place with 13 ranking points. As stated in local media reports, Ivory Coast have two entrants, while Angola and Zambia have one entrant. Unranked associations have no ranking points and hence are equal 19th. Unranked teams have no rankings points and hence are equal 18th. Club ranking is determined only between teams qualified for the 2012 CAF Champions League.

Round and draw dates Schedule of dates for 2012 competition.

Phase Round Draw date First leg Second leg Qualifying Preliminary round 9 December 2011 (Cairo, Egypt) 17–19 February 2–4 March First round 23–25 March 6–8 April Second round 27–29 April 11–13 May Group stage Matchday 1 15 May 2012 (Cairo, Egypt) 6–8 July Matchday 2 20–22 July Matchday 3 3–5 August Matchday 4 17–19 August Matchday 5 31 August–2 September Matchday 6 14–16 September Knock-out stage Semifinals 5–7 October 19–21 October Final 2–4 November 16–18 November† † Moved from original date of 9–11 November.

Qualifying rounds

The fixtures for the preliminary, first and second qualifying rounds were announced on 9 December 2011.

Qualification ties were decided over two legs, with aggregate goals used to determine the winner. If the sides were level on aggregate after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still level, the tie proceeded directly to a penalty shootout (no extra time was played).

Preliminary round

First round

Notes Note 1: Djoliba advanced to the second round after being awarded the tie by CAF, as URA did not travel to Mali for the second leg due to the Malian crisis.

Second round

The losing teams from the second round advanced to the 2012 CAF Confederation Cup play-off round.

Group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 15 May 2012. The eight teams were seeded into four pots (using their individual 2007–2011 5-Year team Ranking). Each group contained one team from each pot. The matchdays were 6–8 July, 20–22 July, 3–5 August, 17–19 August, 31 August–2 September, and 14–16 September.

Key to colours in group tables Group winners and runners-up advance to the Semifinals

Group A

Group B

Knock-out stage

Bracket

Semifinals

Final

Top scorers RankNameTeamGoals 1 Emmanuel Clottey Berekum Chelsea12 2 Mohamed Aboutrika Al-Ahly 6 Mbwana Samata TP Mazembe Tresor Mputu TP Mazembe 5 Geddo Al-Ahly 5 Izu Azuka Sunshine Stars Yannick N'Djeng Espérance ST 8 Karim Ali Hadji ASO Chlef 4 Rasca Recreativo do Libolo Mudather El Tahir Al-Hilal Youssef Msakni Espérance ST

See also 2012 CAF Confederation Cup 2013 CAF Super Cup 2012 FIFA Club World Cup

References

External links CAF Champions League