Zamalek and Pyramids secured CAF Champions League group-stage places on Saturday, 24 October 2026. Zamalek beat APR 1–0 in the second leg, while Pyramids defeated El Merriekh Bentiu 4–0. The outcomes were confirmed in CAF’s report published on 24 October.
How the two ties were settled
Zamalek advanced 2–0 on aggregate after winning each leg by one goal. CAF says Ahmed Sherif scored roughly 45 seconds into the return match. That gave Zamalek an early advantage on the night, but qualification was determined by the combined score across both games rather than a points table. The second-leg match record lists the home and away teams and the 1–0 result.
Pyramids finished with a 5–0 aggregate advantage, having won the first leg 1–0. Abdelrahman Magdi scored twice in the return, with Mostafa Fathi and Ahmed Nadhir Benbouali also on target, according to CAF. The Pyramids match record shows the second-leg score as 4–0, which should be distinguished from the aggregate result.
A useful comparison, without overclaiming
Both Egyptian clubs kept clean sheets across the two matches. Their scoring margins differed: two aggregate goals for Zamalek and five for Pyramids. This is a comparison of recorded outcomes, not proof of superiority in chance quality or possession. Those conclusions would require a separate, complete statistical record. Goals scored in the preliminary round do not become points carried into the group stage.
What qualification means next
The group phase begins on 27–29 November under CAF’s 2026/27 calendar. A confirmed place does not establish a club’s opponents before the draw is approved. Hala Kora’s qualification table separates each leg from the aggregate, helping readers distinguish a single match result from the outcome of the full tie.
Cover: an original Hala Kora editorial illustration created for this report; it does not depict an actual match moment.