JKT Queens won the CECAFA Zone Qualifiers to reach this stage. They defeated AS Kigali Women's FC of Rwanda, New Generation FC of Zanzibar, and 2021 CAF WCL CECAFA Zone Qualifiers winners, Vihiga Queens of Kenya, to progress to the semi-finals at the top of their group.
They overcame Burundi’s Buja Queens FC in the last four and defeated CBE Women's FC of Ethiopia on penalties in the final to qualify for the first time.
They are Tanzania’s representative for the second successive finals after Simba Queens which finished fourth in the 2022 edition that took place in Morocco.
In the draw conducted on Monday evening, Esther Chaburuma-coached JKT Queens were drawn in Group A alongside tournament hosts, Athletico FC d’Abidjan, inaugural champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, and SC Casablanca of Morocco.
Athletico FC d’ Abidjan are the 2022-23 Côte d’Ivoire Women's Premier League Champions.
They went undefeated through their league campaign last season, winning 17 games and drawing just one. They won their final 11 league games of the season.
Their WAFU B Zone Qualifiers participation ended with a third-place finish but they qualified for the continental tournament as hosts.
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies are one of two teams to have reached every final along with AS FAR Women’s FC.
They have been to all five finals at major competitions including three COSAFA WCL finals and two CAF Women’s CL finals. They have won the last four South African top-flight titles.
SC Casablanca is Morocco’s second representative at the finals, joining AS FAR Women’s FC.
They won the UNAF Zone Qualifiers, defeating Afak Relizane 4-3 in their opening game, then 3-1 against Tunisian side, ASF Sousse, and Egypt's Wadi Degla 6-1 in their final game.
Chaymaa Mourtaji was SC Casablanca's top scorer in the qualifiers with five goals. The team from Casablanca was only formed in 2019 and has qualified for the side's debut finals.
The Mainland Tanzania Women’s Premier League reigning champions, JKT Queens, will open their campaign against Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, then take Athletico FC before finishing their group ties against SC Casablanca.
Reigning champions, AS FAR Women’s FC, headline a tough Group B consisting of Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC, Huracanes of Equatorial Guinea as well as AS Mande of Mali.
The format of the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League sees each side playing against each other within their group in a round-robin format, with the top two finishers advancing to the semi-finals to contest for a place in the finals.
The competition will be hosted in two beautiful cities of Cote D’Ivoire, namely San Pedro (Stade Laurent Pokou), and Korhogo (Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly).
zzzz
_0.jpg?itok=QU87XW8D){kind=tracking}
.jpeg?itok=vCj6bCRe)
