Al Ahly's Champions League run ended before the final this season after the Egyptian side suffered three defeats in the competition, including the decisive loss to Esperance in the knockout stage.
The exit came in an edition with increased prize money, with CAF announcing that the Champions League winners would receive $6 million and the runners-up $2 million.
That meant reaching the final would have given Al Ahly access to a major financial opportunity, but their campaign ended short of the title match for the second time in recent years.