CAF Confederation Cup Draw: Giants Get Favorable Pathways

CAF’s headquarters in Cairo felt like the centre of African club football again on Thursday, as the draw for the 2026–2027 CAF Confederation Cup preliminary rounds mapped out the long road to May’s final – and gave the continent’s heavyweights a gentle start.

Fifty-six clubs will chase the trophy and the 4 million dollar prize, but only eight of them have already been spared the early turbulence. By virtue of CAF’s continental ranking, Al Ahly (Egypt), Azam (Tanzania), USM Alger and CR Belouizdad (Algeria), Raja and AS FAR (Morocco), Maniema Union (DR Congo) and Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) all skip the first preliminary round and step straight into the second.

That leaves 48 sides, 24 ties, and 180 minutes each to keep their dream alive.

African giants lie in wait

The defending champions are back in the spotlight. USM Alger, who edged Zamalek of Egypt on penalties in last season’s final, begin their title defence against the winner of Panthers of Ethiopia v ASPAC of Benin. It is a tie that, on paper, they should control. In this competition, paper rarely tells the whole story.

Al Ahly, the continent’s historic powerhouse, will not feature in September’s opening skirmishes either. They enter in the second preliminary round against whoever emerges from Mogadishu City of Somalia v Kitara of Uganda. A glamour name against a modest qualifier – but for the smaller clubs, that is exactly the kind of night they chase.

Morocco’s representatives have also been positioned to pounce. Raja will meet the winner of El Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria v Oudjeb of Benin, while AS FAR are set to face the victor of ASBSI of Chad v Kokoroko of Ivory Coast. Both Rabat and Casablanca will expect to be there when the competition’s serious business starts in the group stage.

Algeria’s other seeded force, CR Belouizdad, will take on the winner of Douanes of Burkina Faso v Hafia Conakry of Guinea, a tie that carries the feel of a classic West African battle before a North African test.

Azam of Tanzania, another of the eight exempted clubs, will be matched with the winner of ZED of Egypt v Ittihad Djibouti. Maniema Union of DR Congo await the winner of University of Namibia (UNAM) v Kabuscorp de Palanca of Angola, while Kaizer Chiefs will face whoever survives Red Arrows of Zambia v FC Rouge of Congo.

The giants have room to breathe. The rest must fight for the right to face them.

First preliminary round: scramble for survival

The first preliminary round will be played over two legs between 4 and 6 September, then 11 and 13 September. For many clubs, these are the most important dates of their year. Lose now and the continental journey is over almost before it begins – albeit with a 100,000 dollar solidarity payment from CAF, part of the governing body’s push to support participants financially.

The draw has thrown up a spread of regional duels and intriguing cross-border contests:

• Mogadishu City (Somalia) v Kitara (Uganda)
• ZED (Egypt) v Ittihad Djibouti
• Al Hilal Al Sahel (Sudan) v Welwalo Adigrat (Ethiopia)
• KMKM (Zanzibar) v Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
• Al Ahly Madani (Sudan) v Tusker (Kenya)
• Al Ghazala Wau (South Sudan) v Singida Black Stars (Tanzania)
• Panthers (Ethiopia) v ASPAC (Benin)
• ASBSI (Chad) v Kokoroko (Ivory Coast)
• Douanes (Burkina Faso) v Hafia Conakry (Guinea)
• El Kanemi Warriors (Nigeria) v Oudjeb (Benin)
• FC Amadou Diallo (Ivory Coast) v East End Lions (Sierra Leone)
• Shooting Stars (Nigeria) v CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
• Mostakbal Gabes (Tunisia) v Diambars (Senegal)
• Vitesse (Burkina Faso) v Real Bamako (Mali)
• Diarra (Mali) v Nations (Ghana)
• AS Sam (Niger) v ASKO Kara (Togo)
• University of Namibia (UNAM) v Kabuscorp de Palanca (Angola)
• Red Arrows (Zambia) v FC Rouge (Congo)
• Durban City (South Africa) v Rukinzo (Burundi)
• Port Louis 2000 (Mauritius) v Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)
• Panthere Sportive (Central Africa) v Rayon Sport (Rwanda)
• Atomique du Niger v Black Bulls (Mozambique)
• DC Virunga (DR Congo) v Bazar Brothers (Seychelles)
• Green Mamba (Eswatini) v Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)

Some ties leap off the page. Shooting Stars v CS Sfaxien pits Nigerian pedigree against Tunisian nous. Diarra v Nations offers a Mali–Ghana clash rich in raw talent. Durban City, a name with resonance in South African football, must negotiate Rukinzo of Burundi just to earn a shot at a second-round showdown.

For many of these clubs, this is not just about prestige. It is about budgets, recruitment, and relevance at home.

Second preliminary round: paths converge

Once the first wave of eliminations is complete, the competition tightens. The second preliminary round first legs will run from 16 to 18 October, with return fixtures from 23 to 25 October. At that point, the seeded sides finally step onto the stage.

The bracket now looks like this:

• Winner Mogadishu City/Kitara v Al Ahly
• Winner ZED/Ittihad Djibouti v Azam
• Winner Al Hilal Al Sahel/Welwalo Adigrat v winner KMKM/Al Ahly Tripoli
• Winner Al Ahly Madani/Tusker v winner Al Ghazala Wau/Singida Black Stars
• Winner Panthers/ASPAC v USM Alger
• Winner ASBSI/Kokoroko v AS FAR
• Winner Douanes/Hafia Conakry v CR Belouizdad
• Winner El Kanemi Warriors/Oudjeb v Raja
• Winner FC Amadou Diallo/East End Lions v winner Shooting Stars/CS Sfaxien
• Winner Mostakbal Gabes/Diambars v winner Vitesse/Real Bamako
• Winner Diarra/Nations v winner AS Sam/ASKO Kara
• Winner University of Namibia/Kabuscorp de Palanca v Maniema Union
• Winner Red Arrows/FC Rouge v Kaizer Chiefs
• Winner Durban City/Rukinzo v winner Port Louis 2000/Jwaneng Galaxy
• Winner Panthere Sportive/Rayon Sport v winner Atomique du Niger/Black Bulls
• Winner DC Virunga/Bazar Brothers v winner Green Mamba/Primeiro de Agosto

The pressure spikes here. Reach the group stage and the calendar fills, the spotlight brightens, and the finances improve. Fall short and the season shrinks back to domestic grind.

USM Alger, Al Ahly, Raja, AS FAR, CR Belouizdad, Kaizer Chiefs, Azam and Maniema Union will all expect to navigate this hurdle. History says at least one big name will stumble.

A long road mapped out

CAF has already locked in the framework for the entire campaign, turning Thursday’s draw into more than just a list of names. It is a schedule, a test of depth and endurance.

Group stage dates:

• Matchday 1: 27–29 November 2026
• Matchday 2: 4–6 December 2026
• Matchday 3: 18–20 December 2026
• Matchday 4: 8–10 January 2027
• Matchday 5: 15–17 January 2027
• Matchday 6: 22–24 January 2027

Knockout rounds:

• Quarter-finals: 26–28 February (first leg), 5–7 March 2027 (second leg)
• Semi-finals: 9–11 April (first leg), 16–18 April 2027 (second leg)
• Final: between 9 and 31 May 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed

By the time the trophy is lifted in late May, squads will have been stretched across continents, climates and competitions. The champions will have survived three phases – qualifiers, groups, knockouts – and a season-long grind.

For now, though, it starts quietly. A two-legged tie in September, a long trip to a lesser-known ground, a chance to turn anonymity into opportunity.

USM Alger hold the trophy. Al Ahly, Raja, Kaizer Chiefs and the rest of Africa’s elite are lining up behind them. Somewhere in this sprawling draw sits the next champion, waiting for the first whistle of a campaign that will define their year.