CAF Champions League 2025-2026 Preliminary Round draw revealed

The road to African club football’s most coveted crown is officially underway. On Saturday, the draw for the First Preliminary Round of the CAF Champions League was conducted, mapping out a month-long opening chapter to the 2025-2026 edition of the continent’s premier club competition.

With the atmosphere charged with anticipation, the draw produced a rich mix of familiar names, rising forces, and debutants all vying for a place among Africa’s elite. Notably absent from this stage are two heavyweights — Al Ahly of Egypt and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa — both excused from the opening round thanks to their status as the top two clubs in the CAF rankings. Their campaigns will begin in the Second Preliminary Round.

The journey will start with the First Preliminary Round ties, played over two legs from 19–21 September and 26–28 September 2025. Victors will progress to the Second Preliminary Round in mid-October, where the battle intensifies on the road to the lucrative group stage.

Sixty teams entered this stage, drawn into 30 tantalizing fixtures that will send 30 winners forward to join Al Ahly and Sundowns in the next round.

Among the standout pairings: Rwanda’s APR FC face a stern challenge in the form of Egyptian powerhouse Pyramids FC, while Sudanese giants Al Hilal meet South Sudan’s Jamus FC in a historic Nile Valley derby. Tunisian duo Espérance and US Monastir will begin their campaigns away from home, against AS FAN of Niger and East End Lions of Sierra Leone respectively.

There’s also a heavyweight clash between Zambia’s Power Dynamos and Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas, as well as a southern African showdown pitting Orlando Pirates of South Africa against Lesotho’s Lioli FC.

Full 2025-2026 CAF Champions League Preliminary Round Draw:

• Ethiopian Insurance (Ethiopia) vs Mlandege (Zanzibar)

• APR FC (Rwanda) vs Pyramids FC (Egypt)

• Mogadishu City (Somalia) vs Kenya Police (Kenya)

• Jamus FC (South Sudan) vs Al Hilal (Sudan)

• Rahimo FC (Burkina Faso) vs Mangasport (Gabon)

• AS FAN (Niger) vs Esperance (Tunisia)

• Dadje FC (Benin) vs Libya 1 (Libya)

• ASCK (Togo) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)

• East End Lions (Sierra Leone) vs US Monastir (Tunisia)

• Goldstars (Ghana) vs JS Kabylie (Algeria)

• Fundacion Bata (Equatorial Guinea) vs Nouadhibou (Mauritania)

• AS Tempete (Central African Republic) vs Stade Malien (Mali)

• Libya 2 (Libya) vs Horoya AC (Guinea)

• DR Congo 2 (DR Congo) vs Al Merriekh (Sudan)

• Colombe Sportive (Cameroon) vs ASC Jaraaf (Senegal)

• FC Fassell (Liberia) vs MC Alger (Algeria)

• Remo Stars (Nigeria) vs Zilimadjou (Comoros)

• Simba Bhora (Zimbabwe) vs Nsingizini Hotspurs (Eswatini)

• Gaborone United (Botswana) vs Simba SC (Tanzania)

• Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) vs Silver Strikers (Malawi)

• Wiliete Benguela (Angola) vs Yanga (Tanzania)

• Cote d’Or (Seychelles) vs Stade d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast)

• Cercle Joachim (Mauritius) vs Petro Atletico (Angola)

• AC Leopards (Republic of the Congo) vs Black Bulls (Mozambique)

• DR Congo 1 (DR Congo) vs Rivers United (Nigeria)

• African Stars (Namibia) vs Vipers SC (Uganda)

• Power Dynamos (Zambia) vs ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)

• Lioli FC (Lesotho) vs Orlando Pirates (South Africa)

From the Indian Ocean islands to the bustling capitals of West Africa, and from the southern African heartlands to North Africa’s football citadels, the race for the 2025-2026 CAF Champions League crown has been unveiled.