Mamelodi Sundowns and Stellenbosch were handed byes into the second round of the this new season’s African Champions League and African Confederation Cup respectively, but South Africa’s other representatives in continental club competition must play in next month’s first round.
Orlando Pirates, who were Champions League semifinalists last season, were drawn on Saturday in the first round against Lioli from Lesotho while Chiefs, who compete in the Confederation Cup after winning last season’s Nedbank cup, have a tough assignment against Kabuscorp from Angola.
The draw was conducted in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Pirates will be away in the first leg on the weekend of 17-19 September but with all the stadia in Lesotho declared not up to the required standard by the Confederation of African Football, they can expect to play the game in South Africa, likely in Bloemfontein.
The return leg at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto will be on the weekend of 26-28 September.
#𝐂𝐀𝐅𝐂𝐋 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) August 9, 2025
Orlando Pirates 🇿🇦 v Lioli FC 🇱🇸
📅 Match Details: TBC
⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates #OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/cxop84L4Qm
If Pirates advance as expected, their second-round opponent will be either El Merrikh of Sudan or a club from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who have a dispute over the completion of their league season and are still waiting to settle on who their representatives in the 2025-26 African club competitions will be.
The second round ties are to be played the weekend of 17-19 October with the return legs a week later from 24-26 October.
Chiefs travel to Angola for their first leg of their first round tie and if they advance will take on Djabal or a club from DR Congo, still to be determined, in the second round.
CAF Confederation Cup
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) August 9, 2025
Kaizer Chiefs were amongst the seeded teams in the draw for the 1st preliminary round of the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, and will start their campaign with a trip to Luanda, Angola, to face Kabuscorp Sport Clube do Palanca#Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/RLPrhgI5Hw
The 16 winners of second round matches move onto the group stage, which kicks off on 21 November.
Sundowns, who lost to Pyramids of Egypt in last season’s Champions League final will take on the winner of the first round tie between Nigeria’s Remo Stars or US Zilimanjou from the Comoros Islands.
Stellenbosch, who reached last season’s Confederation Cup semifinal, have to await the winner of the first round clash between Foresters FC from Seychelles and Atlético 15 from Equatorial Guinea.
CAF said there were a record-breaking 120 entries for both competitions for the 2025-26 editions.
A total of 62 teams will compete in the Champions League, while 58 will take part in the Confederation Cup – the largest combined entry ever seen in CAF’s interclub competitions.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has announced a significant improvement in the financial support from US$50 000 to US$100 000 (around R1.8-million) to each club participating.