The decision to expand the group phase of CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup to sixteen teams a piece stands.

CAF Organising Committee for Interclub Competitions sitting in Cairo on Tuesday 24 ruled that the new format takes effect beginning 2017. After the preliminary round, 32 teams will qualify for the 1/16 round in both competitions.

A draw will be conducted for the winners of the 1/16 round where clubs will be drafted into four groups of four, and after a round-robin of matches, the first two clubs from the groups sail through to quarter finals.

This opens a new knockout front on home and away basis till the final.Top group finishers will host the second leg of the quarter finals.

For the CAF Confederations Cup, the sixteen teams qualified after the 1/16 round will face off with the 16 losers from Champions League 1/16 round to determine the final sixteen for the group phase. Thereafter the format sticks as the Champions League’s.

Champions league will run from March to November while the Confederations Cup will extend to December.

@bonfaceosano