Enyimba International, Nigeria’s most successful club on the continent, has slumped to joint-35th in the latest CAF five-year club rankings, released following the conclusion of the 2024/25 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup seasons.
The updated list, a crucial indicator of interclub performance across Africa, reflects a worrying decline for the two-time CAF Champions League winners, who managed just 7 coefficient points across the past five seasons.
That total leaves them level with Senegal’s ASC Jaraaf and Cameroon’s Coton Sport, well adrift of the continent’s leading sides.
Enyimba’s slide underscores a broader trend: Nigeria’s dwindling influence in African interclub football. Despite domestic success in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Enyimba and their compatriots have consistently struggled to make meaningful progress in CAF competitions.
NPFL Champions Remo Stars lifting their 2024/2025 title in Ikenne. Photo Credit: X
The club’s most recent campaign ended at the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup — a performance worth just 1 or 2 points, depending on final group standings.
North Africa and Emerging Sides Dominate
Algerian outfit ES Sétif and South Africa’s Marumo Gallants both sit higher in the standings on 9 points, tied for 30th place, while Libyan surprise package Abu Salim (8 points) and Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou (8.5 points) continue their steady ascent.
Several other clubs — including CS Sfaxien (6.5), US Monastir (6), and Al Ahli Tripoli (6) outperformed Enyimba over the same five-year period, highlighting a growing competitiveness beyond the traditional North African heavyweights.
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Notably, Kaizer Chiefs, AS Vita Club, and Diables Noirs all earned 5 points, placing them in joint 43rd position, while Ghana’s Medeama SC and Tunisia’s Club Africain collected just 4 points.
How the Rankings Work
CAF uses a performance-based coefficient model, awarding points for progress made in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Pyramids won their first-ever CAF Champions League after a 2-1 win over Mamelodi Sundowns. Photo Credit: X
These rankings determine how many clubs a country can enter in future competitions and influence seeding for the tournament draws.
Points Breakdown – Champions League:
- Winner: 6 points
- Runner-up: 5 points
- Semi-finalist: 4 points
- Quarter-finalist: 3 points
- 3rd in group: 2 points
- 4th in group: 1 point
Points Breakdown – Confederation Cup:
- Winner: 5 points
- Runner-up: 4 points
- Semi-finalist: 3 points
- Quarter-finalist: 2 points
- 3rd in group: 1 point
- 4th in group: 0.5 point
With continental giants like Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, and Raja CA dominating the upper tiers of the rankings (not listed in the lower half reviewed here), Enyimba’s position highlights the urgent need for structural reform and investment in Nigerian club football.
Full Standings (Selected Clubs):
| Rank | Club | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | ES Sétif (Algeria) | 9 |
| 30 | Marumo Gallants (RSA) | 9 |
| 33 | FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania) | 8.5 |
| 34 | Abu Salim (Libya) | 8 |
| 35 | Enyimba FC (Nigeria) | 7 |
| 35 | ASC Jaraaf (Senegal) | 7 |
| 35 | Coton Sport (Cameroon) | 7 |
| 38 | CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) | 6.5 |
| 39 | US Monastir, Al Merrikh, Al Ahli Tripoli, Jwaneng Galaxy | 6 |
| 43 | AS Vita Club, Kaizer Chiefs, Djoliba AC, Diables Noirs, etc. | 5 |
| 51 | Medeama, Club Africain, AmaZulu, Al Hilal Benghazi, others | 4 |
| 57 | Vipers SC, ASKO Kara, St. Eloi Lupopo, Real de Bamako | 3 |
RS Berkane of Morocco celebrating their CAF Confederation Cup triumph. Photo Credit: X
Enyimba’s underwhelming ranking comes as a warning to the NPFL and the Nigeria Football Federation.
Nigerian clubs begin to perform consistently at the highest level, the nation could see its quota of continental slots reduced from 4 to 2, making it harder for local talents to gain exposure on the African stage.
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CAF’s five-year ranking system rewards long-term vision, investment in infrastructure, and technical growth.
