The 2018–19 CAF Champions League group stage were played from 11 January to 16 March 2019.[1] A total of 16 teams competed in the group stage to decide the eight places in the knockout stage of the 2018–19 CAF Champions League.[2]
The draw for the group stage was held on 28 December 2018, 19:00 CAT (UTC+2), at the Nile Ritz-Carlton in Cairo, Egypt.[3][4] The 16 teams, including the title holders, Espérance de Tunis, and the 15 winners of the first round of qualifying, were drawn into four groups of four.[5]
The teams were seeded by their performances in the CAF competitions for the previous five seasons (CAF 5-year ranking points shown in parentheses). Each group contained one team from each of Pot 1, Pot 2, Pot 3, and Pot 4, and each team was drawn into one of the positions in their group.
In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the quarter-finals of the knockout stage.
The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations III. 20 & 21):[2]
Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
The schedule of each matchday was as follows (matches scheduled in midweek in italics).[1] Effective from the Champions League group stage, weekend matches were played on Fridays and Saturdays while midweek matches were played on Tuesdays, with some exceptions. Kick-off times were also fixed at 13:00 (Saturdays and Tuesdays only), 16:00 and 19:00 GMT.[6]
^ abGoal difference in all group matches: CS Constantine +2, Club Africain –4.
^The CAF announced on 23 January 2019 that Ismaily were disqualified for aggressive fans behaviors, including consistently throwing rocks and water bottles on the assistant referee and the away fans, and other incidents at their home match against Club Africain on 18 January 2019.[8][9] All results of matches played by Ismaily were annulled and not taken into consideration according to the regulations. However, following an appeal by Ismaily, the CAF decided on 10 February 2019 to reinstate Ismaily to the competition.[10]
^On 19 February 2019, following the suspension of the match involving Ismaily and Club Africain due to the aggressive behaviors Ismaily fans shown during the match, CAF decided to consider the match forfeited by Ismaily with a result of 3–0 in favour of Club Africain.[11] The match was originally suspended on the 83rd minute with the score 1–2 for Club Africain.
^ abThe Espérance de Tunis v FC Platinum and Espérance de Tunis v Orlando Pirates matches were played behind closed doors due to crowd trouble during the Espérance de Tunis v Al-Ahly match (second leg of the 2018 CAF Champions League Final).[7]
^The Ismaily v CS Constantine on Matchday 3, originally scheduled on 1 February 2019, 18:00 local time, was re-scheduled to 23 February 2019, 18:00 local time, after the reinstatement of Ismaily.[12]
^ abThe Ismaily v CS Constantine and Ismaily v TP Mazembe matches were played behind closed doors due to crowd trouble during the Ismaily v Club Africain match.[13]
^The CS Constantine v Ismaily on Matchday 4, originally scheduled on 12 February 2019, 17:00 local time, was re-scheduled to 2 March 2019, 17:00 local time, after the reinstatement of Ismaily.[12]
Wydad AC
Mamelodi Sundowns
Lobi Stars
ASEC Mimosas
Espérance de Tunis
Horoya
FC Platinum
TP Mazembe
CS Constantine
Ismaily[b]
Simba