Road To Continental Glory Begins As CAF Sets Champions League And Confederation Cup Draws For Thursday

Africa’s top football clubs will discover their first opponents in the 2026/27 continental club competitions when the preliminary round draws for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup are conducted on Thursday, 6 August, at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

The draws will officially launch a new campaign as clubs from across the continent begin their pursuit of African club football’s biggest prizes.

The CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round draw will be held first at 14:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the CAF Champions League draw at 15:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT). Both ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF TV, allowing supporters worldwide to follow the outcome.

The preliminary rounds are expected to produce exciting match-ups, with several ambitious clubs hoping to upset established continental giants in the opening stages of the competition. Every season, these early rounds provide memorable moments as teams battle for places in the next phase.

CAF has retained attractive financial rewards for the two competitions. The winners of the CAF Champions League will receive US$6 million, while the CAF Confederation Cup champions will pocket US$4 million. Teams eliminated during the preliminary rounds will each receive a US$100,000 solidarity payment, a move aimed at supporting clubs participating in continental football.

Defending African champions Mamelodi Sundowns headline the Champions League field as they begin the defence of the title they won last season. They will be joined by Betway Premiership champions Orlando Pirates, while Kaizer Chiefs and Durban City will fly South Africa’s flag in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Across the continent, clubs will be eager to secure favourable draws as they begin the long journey toward the group stages and, ultimately, continental silverware. The draw also marks the beginning of another season expected to showcase Africa’s best talent and produce fierce competition between the continent’s leading clubs.

With excitement continuing to build, all eyes will be on Cairo on Thursday as the path to the 2026/27 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup titles is officially revealed.