The race for African club football’s most prestigious crown has officially kicked off following the draw for the Preliminary and Second Preliminary Rounds of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26, held at Azam Media Studios in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday.
A record 62 clubs from across the continent will feature in this season’s campaign, underscoring the competition’s growing appeal.
Record title winners Al Ahly of Egypt and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, both top-ranked sides, have been handed byes into the Second Preliminary Round where defending champions Pyramids FC of Egypt will face Rwanda’s APR.
The draw also delivered several tantalising fixtures in the early stages.
Almost time for the #TotalEnergiesCAFCC second preliminary round qualifiers, be ready! pic.twitter.com/5wygilXcO0
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) September 30, 2025
North African powerhouses could collide early as Sierra Leone’s East End Lions will face Tunisia’s US Monastirienne, with the winners earning a shot at the winners of the clash between Ghana’s Bibiani Gold Stars and Algerian giants JS Kabylie.
Liberia’s FC Fassell will look to overcome Senegal’s ASC Jaraaf for a potential meeting with Algeria’s MC Alger, while Benin’s Dadjè FC and Libya’s representative, Libya 1, clash for the chance to face Togo’s ASCK or Morocco’s RS Berkane.
Elsewhere, Nigeria’s Remo Stars meet Comoros’ US Zilimadjou for the right to play Sundowns, while Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora tackle Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs in a tie that leads to a showdown with Botswana’s Gaborone United — and ultimately Tanzania’s Simba SC in the next round.
Zambia’s Power Dynamos begin against Ivorian heavyweights ASEC Mimosas with the winner of the match between Namibia’s African Stars and Vipers FC of Uganda waiting in the wings.
Rahimo FC of Burkina Faso will face Gabon’s AS Mangasport with the winners taking on the victor in Niger’s Forces Armées meeting Tunisian giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST).
Has your team made it past the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL first preliminary round qualifiers?
— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) September 30, 2025
Join us for round two! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/QZk7Nxj5gK
Teams that exit in the first two rounds will this season receive USD 100 000 to cover their logistical costs as CAF seeks to encourage more clubs to take part, which is reflected in the record number of teams registered for the 2025/26 season.
The Preliminary Round kicks off with first-leg matches between 19–21 September 2025 and second-leg matches between 26–28 September 2025. The Second Preliminary Round follows from 17–19 October (first leg) and 24–26 October (second leg).
The Group Stage begins on 21 November 2025, with the knockout phase set to start on 13 March 2026.