The last time Kaizer Chiefs featured in the group stage of a CAF competition was in 2021, when they made it all the way to the Champions League final and lost to Cairo giants Al Ahly in Casablanca.
Four and a half years later, Chiefs will visit Suez - a short drive away from Cairo - to kick off their CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign on Sunday against Al Masry.
Both clubs are knocking on the doors of the leaders in their respective leagues, but have not quite broken them down. Chiefs are third in the Betway Premiership, while Al Masry are fifth in the Egyptian Premier League.
Al Masry are led by Tunisian head coach Nabil Kouki, who has been in charge since July and previously won the league in Algeria in 2022-23 with CR Belouizdad. His compatriot, Khalil Ben Youssef, is in temporary charge at Kaizer Chiefs along with Burundi's Cedric Kaze following the departure of another Tunisian, Nasreddine Nabi, as head coach.
Chiefs entered the qualifying rounds as Nedbank Cup champions and qualified for the group stage by edging Angola's Kabuscorp on penalties in the first preliminary round and beating DR Congo's AS Simba 3-1 on aggregate in the second.
Al Masry, meanwhile, received a bye in the first round and beat Libya's Al Ittihad Tripoli 2-1 on aggregate in the second.
Key details:
Date: Sunday, November 23 at 18:00 CAT (16:00 GMT)
Venue: New Suez Stadium, Suez, Egypt
How to watch: Broadcast details have not officially been confirmed at the time of writing, but Kaizer Chiefs' CAF fixtures are usually available on SABC and SuperSport.
Team news:
In recent weeks, Kaizer Chiefs have seen Etiosa Ighodaro and Lebohang Maboe finally reach full match fitness and begin their Kaizer Chiefs careers after extended spells on the sidelines upon joining.
Ethan Chislett still has yet to make his debut after joining from Port Vale. Meanwhile, the injury-enforced absences of Rushwin Dortley, Given Msimango, and new signings Paseka Mako and Nkanyiso Shinga have affected Chiefs' options in defence. However, with the international break behind them, Chiefs have had an opportunity to regroup and might field some fresh legs.
Mako has made the travelling squad, along with Msimango. However, Shinga, Dortley and Chislett were not listed, and neither was rising star centre-back Aden McCarthy.
Chiefs will be without attacking midfielder Gastón Sirino, who misses the match through suspension.
Expected lineups
Al Masry
GK Mahmoud Hamdy
LB Amr El Saadawy | CB Khaled Sobhi | CB Baher El Mohamady | RB Ahmed Eid
CM Hassan Ali | CM Mahmoud Hamada
LW Abderrahim Deghmoum | AM Mostafa Aboul-Kheir | RW Bonheur Mugisha
ST Mounder Temine
Kaizer Chiefs
GK Brandon Petersen
LB Brad Cross | CB Zitha Kwinika | CB Inácio Miguel | RB Thabiso Monyane
CM Sibongiseni Mthethwa | CM Thabo Cele
LW Asanele Velebayi | AM Mduduzi Shabalala | RW Mfundo Vilakazi
ST Etiosa Ighodaro
Stats:
Al Masry have only conceded one goal in their last five games in all competitions. They have seen red cards in two of these games, but won both of the matches in which they were reduced to 10 men.
Kaizer Chiefs have not lost any of their last nine matches in regulation time. Their only defeat during this run was on penalties against Stellenbosch in the Carling Knockout.
Kaizer Chiefs have won their last three games in all competitions.
Only one of Al Masry's last five games in all competitions saw more than one goal - a 2-1 Confederation Cup second qualifying second round win over Al Ittihad Tripoli.