Qualification
- 53 teams from 40 CAF member associations were entered officially in the 2009 CAF Champions League.
- The 12 highest ranked associations according to CAF 5-Year Ranking are eligible to enter 2 teams in the competition. For this year's competition, CAF used 2003-07 5-Year rankings in which 3 countries shared the 12th place - allowing 14 countries to enter a second team.
- Two other teams were entered after the official deadline and were placed in a special subsection on the draw.
Below is the qualification scheme for the competition. Nations are shown according to their CAF 5-Year Ranking - those with a ranking score have their rank and score indicated:
| Association | Club | Qualifying method |
|---|---|---|
| Associations with two entrants (Ranked 1-12) | ||
| Tunisia1 |
Club Africain | 2007–08 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champion |
| Étoile Sportive du Sahel | 2007–08 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runner-up | |
| Egypt2 |
Al-AhlyTH | 2007–08 Egyptian Premier League champion |
| Nigeria |
Kano Pillars | 2007–08 Nigerian Premier League champion |
| Heartland | 2007–08 Nigerian Premier League runner-up | |
| Morocco |
FAR Rabat | 2007–08 Botola champion |
| Ittihad Khemisset | 2007–08 Botola runner-up | |
| Ghana |
Asante Kotoko | 2007–08 Ghana Premier League champion |
| Heart of Lions | 2007–08 Ghana Premier League runner-up | |
| Côte d'Ivoire |
Africa Sports National | 2008 Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division champion |
| ASEC Mimosas | 2008 Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division runner-up | |
| Algeria |
JS Kabylie | 2007–08 Algerian Championnat National champion |
| ASO Chlef | 2007–08 Algerian Championnat National runner-up | |
| Cameroon |
Coton Sport FC | 2007–08 MTN Elite one champion |
| Canon Yaoundé | 2007–08 MTN Elite one runner-up | |
| South Africa1 |
Supersport United | 2007–08 Premier Soccer League champion |
| Ajax Cape Town | 2007–08 Premier Soccer League runner-up | |
| Sudan1 |
Al-Merreikh | 2008 Sudan Premier League champion |
| Al-Hilal | 2008 Sudan Premier League runner-up | |
| Angola |
Atlético Petróleos Luanda | 2008 Girabola (XXX) champion |
| Primeiro de Agosto | 2008 Girabola (XXX) runner-up | |
| Congo DR1 |
DC Motema Pembe | 2007–08 Linafoot champion |
| TP Mazembe | 2007–08 Linafoot runner-up | |
| Libya |
Al Ittihad Tripoli | 2007–08 Libyan Premier League champion |
| Al Ahly Tripoli | 2007–08 Libyan Premier League runner-up | |
| Senegal |
AS Douanes | 2008 Senegal Premier League champion |
| Casa Sport | 2008 Senegal Premier League runner-up | |
| Associations with one entrant (Fewer ranking points than the 12th CAF association) | ||
| Rwanda |
ATRACO | 2007–08 Rwandan Premier League champion |
| Tanzania |
Young Africans | 2007–08 Tanzanian Premier League champion |
| Zambia |
ZESCO United | 2008 Zambian Premier League champion |
| Gabon |
AS Mangasport | 2007–08 Gabon Championnat National D1 champion |
| Guinea |
Fello Star | 2008 Guinée Championnat National champion |
| Zimbabwe |
Monomotapa United | 2008 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League champion |
| Burkina Faso | Étoile Filante | 2007–08 Burkinabé Premier League champion |
| Burundi | AS Inter Star | 2008 Burundi Premier League champion |
| Cape Verde | Sporting Clube da Praia | 2008 Cape Verdean football Championships champion |
| Chad | Elect-Sport FC | 2008 Chad Premier League champion |
| Comoros | Etoile d'Or | 2008 Comoros Premier League champion |
| Congo | CARA Brazzaville | 2008 Congo Premier League champion |
| Gambia | Wallidan | 2008 GFA League First Division champion |
| Guinea-Bissau | Sporting Clube de Bafatá | 2008 Campeonato Nacional da Guiné-Bissau champion |
| Kenya | Mathare United | 2008 Kenyan Premier League champion |
| Liberia | Monrovia Black Star | 2008 Liberian Premier League champion |
| Madagascar | Academie Ny Antsika | 2008 THB Champions League champion |
| Mali | Djoliba | 2007–08 Malian Première Division champion |
| Mauritius | Curepipe Starlight | 2007–08 Mauritian League champion |
| Mozambique | Ferroviário Maputo | 2008 Moçambola champion |
| Niger | AS Police | 2007–08 Niger Premier League champion |
| Réunion | US Stade Tamponnaise | 2008 Réunion Premier League runner-up3 |
| Sierra Leone | Ports Authority F.C. | 2007–08 Sierra Leone National Premier League champion |
| Swaziland | Royal Leopards | 2007–08 Swazi Premier League champion |
| Uganda | Kampala City Council | 2007–08 Ugandan Super League champion |
| Zanzibar | Miembeni | 2008 Zanzibar Premier League champion |
| Associations entered after the deadline | ||
| Equatorial Guinea |
Akonangui | 2008 Equatoguinean Premier League champion |
| Central African Republic | Stade Centrafricain | 2008 Championnat de la Ligue de Bangui champion |
Italicised clubs withdrew without playing.
Bolded clubs received a bye in the preliminary round, entering the tournament in the first round.
Unranked associations have no ranking points and hence are equal 23rd (Malawi - ranked =18th - did not enter a champion this year).
TH Title holders
1 The champions of Congo DR, South Africa, Sudan, and Tunisia were not given byes in the first stage although the runners-up were. Unlike European tournaments, seeding within the CAF draws is based on performance in continental tournaments only.
2 The 2007–08 Egyptian Premier League runner-up, Ismaily opted not to enter this competition, choosing instead to play in the 2008–09 Arab Champions League. The third-placed Egyptian side, Al-Zamalek were not allowed to replace them as the CAF Champions League regulations allow only national champions and runners-up to compete.
3 2008 Réunion Premier League Champion, JS Saint-Pierroise, banned from African club competitions after withdrawing from the 2007 CAF Champions League.
Read more about this topic: 2009 CAF Champions League