Champions League: Royal Army in the Preliminary Round, While Berkane is Exempt
By: Mustafa Filali
Express TV: RS Berkane has qualified directly for the second preliminary round of the African Champions League without needing to play the first preliminary stage. This makes them the only representative of Moroccan football to reach the advanced stage of the tournament this season. This exemption is thanks to the cumulative ranking used by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which has placed the Berkane team in a distinguished position among continental clubs.
This exemption reflects the high status RS Berkane has achieved on the African stage, having ranked fourth among continental clubs, behind Egypt’s Al Ahly, Tunisia’s Espérance, and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
On the other hand, the Royal Army, another representative of Moroccan football in the same competition, will participate in the preliminary round for the third consecutive time. The military team has ranked 18th in the CAF classification, meaning they will need to overcome two qualifying rounds before securing a spot in the group stage.
It is worth noting that only five clubs have been exempted from the preliminary round: Egypt’s Al Ahly, Tunisia’s Espérance, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, along with RS Berkane and Tanzania’s Simba.
Despite Pyramids FC from Egypt winning the title in the previous edition of the tournament, the Egyptian team did not qualify for the exempted clubs list, having ranked lower than the top five positions. This highlights the importance of consistent performance in continental competitions to achieve future ranking advantages.
