CAF Champions League, Confederation Cup draws to unfold in Cairo

African football’s leading clubs will discover their opponents for the 2026/27 continental campaigns when the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup group-stage draws take place in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, October 28.

The draws, hosted at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters, will begin with the Confederation Cup at 14:00 local time (11:00 GMT), followed by the Champions League at 15:00 (12:00 GMT).

Both competitions will feature four groups of four teams, with the top two clubs in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.

The Champions League line-up features 16 teams, including former African champions Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Zamalek SC, MC Alger and Orlando Pirates, alongside emerging contenders seeking to establish themselves among the continent’s elite.

One of the biggest talking points is the elimination of defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who were knocked out by Angola’s Wiliete SC.

Wiliete secured a historic first group-stage appearance after holding the South African giants to a 1-1 draw in Pretoria, following a goalless first leg.

Despite Sundowns’ departure, South Africa will remain represented by Orlando Pirates, who defeated Namibia’s African Stars 5-0 on aggregate.

Egypt will have two representatives, Pyramids FC and Zamalek, while Tanzania will be represented by Simba SC and Young Africans.

Four-time champions Espérance survived a difficult qualification campaign, overcoming Libya’s Swehly SC on penalties, while MC Alger staged a remarkable comeback against Nigeria’s Rangers International, overturning a two-goal first-leg deficit to advance 3-2 on aggregate.

Petro Atlético also recovered from a two-goal disadvantage to eliminate Zimbabwe’s Scottland FC.

Meanwhile, the Confederation Cup has 15 confirmed participants, with one place still pending the resolution of the qualification involving Algeria’s CR Belouizdad and either Mauritania’s AS Douanes or Guinea’s Hafia Club.

Defending champions USM Alger headline the competition alongside Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Moroccan sides Raja Club Athletic and AS FAR, and Tunisian powerhouse CS Sfaxien.

USM Alger will seek another continental crown after winning the competition last season, while Al Ahly bring considerable experience, having won the CAF Champions League a record 12 times and the Confederation Cup in 2014.

The competition will also welcome newcomers Durban City of South Africa and Red Arrows of Zambia.

Durban City qualified after an impressive campaign that included a 6-1 aggregate victory over Mauritius’ AS Port Louis 2000, while Red Arrows eliminated South African giants Kaizer Chiefs on penalties.

Tanzania will also have two representatives in the Confederation Cup, with Azam FC and Singida Black Stars securing qualification.

The group stages are scheduled to begin in November, setting the stage for another competitive season across Africa’s two premier club competitions.