A total of 94 clubs from 29 different African countries have competed in the Caf Champions League across 31 seasons since 1997, when Caf rebranded competition formally known as the African Cup of Champions Clubs, which was first played in 1964.

The Caf Champions League is Africa’s elite club football competition. It is modelled on the prestigious Uefa Champions League. Its rebranding introduced a group stage round and prize money in the competition for the first time ever.

Since then, the number of teams competing in the competition’s group stages has increased from eight to 16 (from 2017 onwards) and the prize money pool for that stage of the competition has shot up from USD3,507,500 (Sh210 million in 1997) to the current USD84,700,000 (Sh11 billion).

Gor Mahia players and officials celebrate with the Football Kenya Federation Premier League trophy at Nyayo National Stadium on May 31, 2026.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

Yet, these monumental changes in African football have taken place without Kenyan clubs being involved.

Ten Kenyan clubs – AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia, Kenya Police, Mathare United, Nzoia Sugar, Oserian Fastac, Sofapaka, Tusker, Ulinzi Stars, and Utalii – have attempted to qualify for the group stages of CAF Champions League and none has succeeded so far.

Utalii and Tusker came close in 1998 and 2001 respectively. Utalii, after drawing 1-1 on aggregate with Tunisia’s Etoile Sportive du Sahel, was eliminated after losing to the Tunisians 4-2 on penalties in the final qualifying round.

In 2001, Tusker FC were seconds away from making history until the late Brazilian footballer Reinaldo Aleluia scored a last minute winner for Esperance de Tunis to give the Tunisians victory on the away goals rule after the contest ended 2-2 on aggregate. Tusker had won their home match 2-1 before losing 1-0 away.

In total, the 10 Kenyan clubs have played 88 Caf Champions League qualifier matches, winning 27, drawing 14, and losing a staggering 47 matches.

Read: Gor Mahia shift focus to Africa

Newly-crowned 2025-26 Football Kenya Federation Premier League champions Gor Mahia have made the most attempts at qualifying and will be hoping to be 10th-time lucky.

Since sealing the league title with two matches to spare on May 24, the record Kenyan top flight champions have spoken boldly on their ambitions to conquer Africa.

“Winning the league is no longer out of the ordinary for Gor Mahia. It is now time we conquer Africa again. We have the capacity and wherewithal to do that,” the club’s patron Eliud Owalo said on Tuesday last week when he hosted the team at a luncheon to celebrate their record-extending 22nd league title.

Alpha Onyango, the new Gor Mahia captain, also spoke with visionary purpose at the event.

“We are going to give a good show in the Caf Champions League,” he said.

Gor Mahia's Alpha Onyango — Gor Mahia Alpha Onyango celebrates his goal against AFC Leopards during FKF Premier League match at Nyayo National Stadium on April 26, 2026.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation

In an interview with Nation Sport on May 29, Gor Mahia’s long-serving chairman Ambrose Rachier expressed intention of the club being more than one-hit wonders in the competition. Only 40 of the 94 clubs that have featured in Caf Champions League have done so more than once.

“After winning this season’s league title, our challenge now is to go further than we have ever gone in the Caf Champions League and maintaining that level,” Rachier said.

Read: League prize money jumps to Sh15m, but is it enough?

However, he is adamant that such undertaking such an endeavour would require a significant boost in finances. The club will need to quality players, fund travel and logistics during the competition, and invest in proper training facilities.

Other aspects that improve team performance like improving welfare of players and analysing opponents, will also require attention.

“Being the best in Africa, will require us to find ways of increasing our revenue,” Rachier said.

Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier and players during a luncheon held in their honour following their 2025/26 FKF Premier League title victory at Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi on Tuesday.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo| Nation Media Group

For context, Tanzanian club Young Africans, who are one of six clubs that have featured in the group stages of last three editions of the Caf Champions League, had a budget of USD12.7 million (Sh1.6 billion) for the 2025/26 season. In that period, Gor Mahia had a revenue of Sh179 million from sponsorships, ticket sales, and league prize money.

It is no wonder that the club has been aggressively sourcing for additional funds. On Sunday, during a visit to State House, the club made a plea to President William Ruto to support them with more funding.

President Ruto pledged a personal donation of Sh10 million and instructed Sports CS Salim Mvurya to explore ways of funding the club through the Ministry of Sports.

Read: FKF Premier League season in numbers

Still, operating with the bare minimum should not daunt Gor Mahia’s ambitions. Since the CAF Champions League expanded to 16 teams in 2017, 31 clubs have made their debut in the competition. In the 10 years before that, the competition witnessed only 23 debutants.

The 31 debutants include eight teams from six countries that had never been represented in the CAF Champions League group stages previously.

The six countries are Botswana, Ethiopia, eSwatini, Guinea, Togo, and Uganda. The eight clubs did not have big budgets but recruited wisely to write their names in history books. Gor Mahia has the ability to emulate them.

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