Durban City FC will begin their debut CAF Confederation Cup campaign against AS FAR, Azam FC and Al Ahly Tripoli after Wednesday's group stage draw in Cairo. The club was placed in Group B for the competition, which begins in November and will see the top two teams advance to the quarter-finals. This continental challenge comes as Durban City sit 10th in the Premier Soccer League, having taken just seven points from their opening eight matches with a record of one win, four draws and three losses.
Eric Tinkler's side earned their place by winning the Nedbank Cup last season and handled the qualifying rounds with a perfect record of four wins from four matches. The draw sets up a meeting with Al Ahly Tripoli, whose squad includes DR Congo striker Fiston Mayele. The Confederation of African Football confirmed that video assistant referee technology will be used throughout the group stages of both the Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Domestic context for African challenge
That match will serve as a final domestic test before the club shifts its attention fully to the African stage next month. The group stage schedule is yet to be released, but Durban City will play each of their three opponents home and away between November and December. Their immediate domestic focus is a difficult trip to face league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday 31 October, a side they trail by sixteen points in the title race. The team heads into that fixture on the back of a 2-0 home defeat to Stellenbosch on Wednesday 28 October, a result which leaves them with a goal difference of minus two, having scored five and conceded seven in the league this season.
Defending champions USM Alger will begin their title defence in Group D. Durban City's first foray into continental football represents a significant step for the club, built on their domestic cup success. The team's recent form has been mixed, with two wins, one draw and two losses in their last five matches across all competitions, a sequence that includes a 3-0 victory over ASPL 2000 on 25 October but also a 2-0 loss to Orlando Pirates on 17 September.
Background and full detail: Soccer Laduma
Azam FC head coach Florent Ibenge has acknowledged the strength of Group B, singling out Durban City's different style of football as a specific challenge. "We are also going to South Africa to face a team with a different style of football," Ibenge said on October 31. The Tanzanian side is targeting a quarter-final place. Durban City, 10th domestically, face a tough test away to league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns later on October 31.
