The draw for the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers 2023 will take place on Thursday at 11h00 CAT, when the eight teams to take part in the third edition of the regional championship will learn their fate. We look back at the numbers from the past two years and as the clubs battle it out in Durban from Aug.30-Sept. 8 for a place at the continental finals later this year.

0 – Technically, Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa have yet to lose a game in the competition, beaten only on post-match penalties in the final last year. They won five out of five in 2021 and won one drew two in 2022. Can anyone be the first to beat them this time round?

1 – Only the top team in the competition will advance to the continental finals that will be staged in Ivory Coast from November 5-19. It will feature eight teams, one each from the sic zones, defending champions AS FAR from Morocco and host side Athlético FC d’Abidjan from Ivory Coast.

1 – Ntopwa FC from Malawi are the only newcomers to the competition this year, with the other seven teams having played either one or both of the past competitions.

1 – Mamelodi Sundowns (2021) and Green Buffaloes of Zambia (2022) each have won the title in the previous two years. Sundowns defeated Black Rhinos Queens in the decider two years ago, while Buffaloes edged the South African club on penalties in the decider last time out.   

1 – Rutendo Makore (Black Rhinos Queens) and Melinda Kgadiete (Mamelodi Sundowns) won the Player of the Tournament prizes in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

2 – The top two teams in each pool will advance to the semifinals, giving little room for error for the sides.

3 – This will be the third edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier after it was first staged in 2021. Both previous editions have also been held in Durban.

3 – Three clubs will have appeared in all of the regional qualifiers played – Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Green Buffaloes (Zambia) and Double Action Ladies (Botswana). The latter reached the semifinals on both previous visits but went no further.

5 – Melinda Kgadiete from Mamelodi Sundowns was the leading scorer in the inaugural competition in 2021 with five goals.

5 – Ireen Lungu from Green Buffaloes netted five times in 2022 to win the Golden Boot. Along with Kgadiete, her total is a record for the competition.

8 – Mamelodi Sundowns hold the record for the biggest win in the competition after they defeated Mozambique side Costa do Sol 8-1 in 2022. 

8 – There are eight teams in the draw for the 2023 competition: Costa Do Sol (Mozambique), Double Action Ladies (Botswana), Green Buffaloes (Zambia), Lesotho Defence Force (Lesotho), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa). Ntopwa FC (Malawi), Olympic De Moroni (Comoros) and Young Buffaloes (Eswatini).

42 – The number of goals scored in the inaugural competition in 2021. There were 25 netted in 2022, though there were only six teams that took part in the finals.