The road to continental glory officially begins on Thursday, 6 August, when the preliminary round draws for the 2026/27 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup are conducted at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
Clubs from across Africa will discover their opening opponents as they begin their quest to reach the group stages of the continent’s two premier club competitions, with another season of high-stakes continental football set to get underway.
The Confederation Cup draw will take place first at 14:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), before attention turns to the Champions League draw an hour later at 15:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT). Both events will be streamed live on CAF TV, allowing supporters around the continent to follow the first step on the road to continental silverware.
The winners of the CAF Champions League will receive USD 6 million in prize money, while the Confederation Cup champions will pocket USD 4 million. Clubs eliminated during the preliminary rounds will each receive a USD 100,000 solidarity payment, part of CAF’s continued commitment to supporting participating teams and strengthening its interclub competitions.
Recent preliminary rounds have produced some of African football’s most memorable early-season drama, with traditional powerhouses often pushed to the limit by ambitious challengers determined to announce themselves on the continental stage. This year’s edition promises more of the same, as clubs from every corner of Africa begin their pursuit of continental success.
South Africa will once again be represented by reigning CAF Champions League holders Mamelodi Sundowns, who return looking to defend the title they captured last season, and they’ll be joined by Betway Premiership champions Orlando Pirates.
Kaizer Chiefs and Durban City will be South Africa’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup, won last season by USM Alger of Algeria.