It will be their ninth appearance in the group stage of CAF club competition, and sixth in the Champions League. They have advanced to the knockout rounds on six of the previous eight occasions.
There was no group stage when they lifted the trophy in 1995, as that competition was knockout football from start to finish, with their first appearance in a group coming in 1997.
That proved a baptism of fire as they drew one and lost five of their six games, to date their worst performance in the group stage.
The only other occasion when they did not advance was in 2018/19, when they won one and drew three of their matches.
They have played 48 group-stage games in all across the Champions League and Confederation Cup and won 19 of those to go with 15 draws and 14 defeats. They have outscored their opponents 61-43.
When you break it down to just the Champions League, it gets a little worse. Pirates have played 30 group-stage games in that competition and won only nine, to go with 11 draws and 10 defeats.
Their best performance was their last, in the 2024/25 season under Jose Riveiro.
They won four and drew two of their six matches, the only time they have gone through the group stage without defeat.
They reached the semi-finals that year but lost to Pyramids FC in a tie they probably should have won. It might still feel like a missed opportunity.
Pirates have lost only three of their 24 CAF group-stage home matches (W11 D10) but have struggled a bit on the road, with 11 defeats in 24 games (W8 D5).
They are unbeaten in their last 12 Champions League group-stage home fixtures (W5 D7), with their last defeat coming in 1997.
Their biggest group-stage victory overall is 6-2 against Royal Leopard from Eswatini in the 2021/22 Confederation Cup, but in the Champions League it is 4-1 against Zamalek (home, 2013). They have also recorded three 3-0 wins, against Al Ahly (away, 2013), Horoya (home, 2018/19) and Stade d’Abidjan (home, 2024/25).
Their heaviest defeat was away at ASEC Abidjan in the 2006 group stage, when they lost 4-0.