Sudanese giants Al Hilal Omdurman have already wrapped up the 2025/26 Rwanda Premier League title, but the club still faces another crucial challenge before securing a place in next season’s CAF Champions League.
Al Hilal, who have spent the season competing in Rwanda due to the ongoing situation in Sudan, sit comfortably at the top of the BK Pro League standings with 70 points from 30 matches. Their closest challengers, APR FC, remain second with 59 points after playing 31 matches, meaning they can only finish the campaign with a maximum of 68 points even if they win all their remaining fixtures.
Although Al Hilal’s dominance in Rwanda has been impressive, lifting the title does not automatically guarantee them a ticket to Africa’s premier club competition.
Instead, the Sudanese powerhouse will have to return home and compete in a domestic mini-league tournament that determines Sudan’s representatives in CAF inter-club competitions.
The qualification system is tied to Sudan’s position in the CAF five-year rankings, where the country currently ranks among the top 12 football associations in Africa. That ranking grants Sudan two CAF Champions League slots and two CAF Confederation Cup places, but participating clubs must still emerge through a national qualification process.
As a result, Al Hilal’s success in Rwanda only marks one step in their journey towards continental football next season.
A similar situation occurred last season when the club competed in Mauritania. Despite winning the league there, Al Hilal still had to return to Sudan and successfully navigate the mini league tournament to secure qualification for the CAF Champions League.
The unique arrangement continues to highlight the unusual circumstances surrounding Sudanese football clubs in recent seasons.
Before shifting their attention back to Sudan, The Blue Wave still have several league assignments to complete in Rwanda. After facing Gasogi United, they will play Police FC on May 16 before concluding their campaign against Etincelles FC on May 31.
Meanwhile, APR remain mathematically capable of reaching 70 points, but they would need to win all four of their remaining matches while also overturning a significant goal difference deficit to deny the current leaders top spot at the league’s conclusion.
