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CAF Confederation Cup Draw: Giants Get Clear Path to $4m Prize

The road to the 2026–2027 CAF Confederation Cup began in a packed hall at CAF headquarters in Cairo, where 56 clubs learned their fate and a handful of giants walked away with what look like generous early assignments.

Eight clubs, led by continental powerhouse Al Ahly, skip the traffic of the opening hurdle. Ranked highest by CAF, they step straight into the second preliminary round, watching from a distance as 48 others scrap for the right to join them.

Those 48 sides will fight it out over 24 two-legged ties in the first preliminary round. Their winners will complete a 32-team grid for the second preliminary stage, where the big names finally enter the fray and the competition starts to resemble the tournament that grips a continent.

Heavyweights Given Room to Breathe

CAF’s ranking spared eight clubs from the first preliminary round: Al Ahly of Egypt, Azam of Tanzania, USM Alger and CR Belouizdad of Algeria, Raja and AS FAR of Morocco, Maniema Union of DR Congo, and Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa.

For Al Ahly, Africa’s most decorated club, the route opens against either Mogadishu City of Somalia or Kitara of Uganda. On paper, it is a gentle start for a team used to the sharp end of African competition, but the travel, surfaces, and conditions in early rounds have undone many a favourite.

Raja, chasing another deep run on the continental stage, will take on the winner of El Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria v Oudjeb of Benin. AS FAR, another Moroccan force with serious ambitions, wait for whoever emerges from ASBSI of Chad v Kokoroko of Ivory Coast.

USM Alger, the defending champions after edging Zamalek of Egypt on penalties in last season’s final, will open their title defence against the winner of Panthers of Ethiopia v ASPAC of Benin. CR Belouizdad, keen to turn domestic dominance into continental silverware, face the qualifier from Douanes of Burkina Faso v Hafia Conakry of Guinea.

Azam of Tanzania are paired with the winner of ZED of Egypt v Ittihad Djibouti, while Kaizer Chiefs, desperate to turn their stature into trophies, will meet whoever comes through Red Arrows of Zambia v FC Rouge of Congo. Maniema Union, flying the flag for DR Congo among the seeded sides, await the winner of University of Namibia (UNAM) v Kabuscorp de Palanca of Angola.

First Preliminary Round: Long Roads and Thin Margins

Before the giants step in, the first preliminary round will stretch across the continent from 4 to 6 September for the first legs, with return fixtures from 11 to 13 September. For many clubs, this is where the dream either flickers into life or dies quietly.

The draw delivered a mix of regional duels and tricky cross-border trips:

  • Mogadishu City of Somalia v Kitara of Uganda
  • ZED of Egypt v Ittihad Djibouti
  • Al Hilal Al Sahel of Sudan v Welwalo Adigrat of Ethiopia
  • KMKM of Zanzibar v Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya
  • Al Ahly Madani of Sudan v Tusker of Kenya
  • Al Ghazala Wau of South Sudan v Singida Black Stars of Tanzania
  • Panthers of Ethiopia v ASPAC of Benin
  • ASBSI of Chad v Kokoroko of Ivory Coast
  • Douanes of Burkina Faso v Hafia Conakry of Guinea
  • El Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria v Oudjeb of Benin
  • FC Amadou Diallo of Ivory Coast v East End Lions of Sierra Leone
  • Shooting Stars of Nigeria v CS Sfaxien of Tunisia
  • Mostakbal Gabes of Tunisia v Diambars of Senegal
  • Vitesse of Burkina Faso v Real Bamako of Mali
  • Diarra of Mali v Nations of Ghana
  • AS Sam of Niger v ASKO Kara of Togo
  • University of Namibia (UNAM) v Kabuscorp de Palanca of Angola
  • Red Arrows of Zambia v FC Rouge of Congo
  • Durban City of South Africa v Rukinzo of Burundi
  • Port Louis 2000 of Mauritius v Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana
  • Panthere Sportive (Central Africa) v Rayon Sport of Rwanda
  • Atomique du Niger v Black Bulls of Mozambique
  • DC Virunga of DR Congo v Bazar Brothers of Seychelles
  • Green Mamba of Eswatini v Primeiro de Agosto of Angola

Some ties jump off the page. Shooting Stars against CS Sfaxien feels like a clash that belongs much later in the competition. Tusker’s visit to Al Ahly Madani carries the familiar tension of East African sides trying to punch through the North and Central West strongholds. And trips to places like Wau, Zanzibar or the Seychelles will test logistics as much as tactics.

For many of these clubs, the Confederation Cup is not just about glory. It is about survival and growth. Each team knocked out in the preliminary rounds will still receive $100,000 in solidarity payments, part of CAF’s drive to support participants. For smaller sides, that money can reshape budgets, academies, even stadium projects.

Second Preliminary Round: Where the Giants Step In

Once the first wave of eliminations is complete, the winners will collide with the seeded clubs in October. First legs of the second preliminary round run from 16 to 18 October, with the returns from 23 to 25 October.

The full slate of second preliminary ties is already mapped out:

  • Winner of Mogadishu City v Kitara v Al Ahly of Egypt
  • Winner of ZED v Ittihad Djibouti v Azam of Tanzania
  • Winner of Al Hilal Al Sahel v Welwalo Adigrat v winner of KMKM v Al Ahly Tripoli
  • Winner of Al Ahly Madani v Tusker v winner of Al Ghazala Wau v Singida Black Stars
  • Winner of Panthers v ASPAC v USM Alger of Algeria
  • Winner of ASBSI v Kokoroko v AS FAR of Morocco
  • Winner of Douanes v Hafia Conakry v CR Belouizdad of Algeria
  • Winner of El Kanemi Warriors v Oudjeb v Raja of Morocco
  • Winner of FC Amadou Diallo v East End Lions v winner of Shooting Stars v CS Sfaxien
  • Winner of Mostakbal Gabes v Diambars v winner of Vitesse v Real Bamako
  • Winner of Diarra v Nations v winner of AS Sam v ASKO Kara
  • Winner of University of Namibia v Kabuscorp de Palanca v Maniema Union of DR Congo
  • Winner of Red Arrows v FC Rouge v Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa
  • Winner of Durban City v Rukinzo v winner of Port Louis 2000 v Jwaneng Galaxy
  • Winner of Panthere Sportive v Rayon Sport v winner of Atomique du Niger v Black Bulls
  • Winner of DC Virunga v Bazar Brothers v winner of Green Mamba v Primeiro de Agosto

This is where reputations collide with reality. A misjudged away leg, a hostile crowd, a poor pitch – and suddenly a seeded club is staring at an early exit, its season plan torn up before November.

USM Alger, carrying the trophy and the target on their backs, know that feeling of tension better than most after last season’s penalty drama against Zamalek. This time, everyone will be waiting for a slip.

The Long March to May

CAF has laid out a clear, demanding calendar. After October’s second preliminary round, the group stage begins:

  • Matchday 1: 27–29 November 2026
  • Matchday 2: 4–6 December 2026
  • Matchday 3: 18–20 December 2026
  • Matchday 4: 8–10 January 2027
  • Matchday 5: 15–17 January 2027
  • Matchday 6: 22–24 January 2027

From there, the knockout rounds turn the screws:

  • Quarter-finals: first legs 26–28 February 2027, returns 5–7 March 2027
  • Semi-finals: first legs 9–11 April 2027, returns 16–18 April 2027
  • Final: to be played between 9 and 31 May 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed

At the end of that journey lies a $4 million prize for the champions and a place in African football’s recent history. Between now and then, there will be shocks in far-flung stadiums, giants tripped up by underdogs, and a handful of clubs transformed by the money and the spotlight.

The balls have been drawn, the paths are set. Now the question hangs over the continent: can anyone rip the trophy from USM Alger’s grasp, or are we watching the start of a new dynasty in the Confederation Cup?

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