CAF Confederation Cup Draw: Giants Find Favourable Paths

CAF’s headquarters in Cairo felt like the starting gun for a new continental marathon on Thursday, as the draw for the 2026–2027 CAF Confederation Cup sketched out a route that looks kind to the heavyweights and unforgiving to the hopefuls.

Fifty‑six clubs are in, scattered across the continent, all chasing the same prize: a title, a platform, and a share of the four million dollars reserved for the winners. For many, even the 100,000‑dollar solidarity payment for early exits will matter. For a select few, only the trophy will do.

Big Guns Step In Late

CAF’s ranking has drawn a clear line between the contenders and the climbers. Eight clubs skip the grind of the first preliminary round and walk straight into the second: 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.

They sit and watch while 48 others fight over 24 first‑round ties, home and away, just to earn the right to face them.

Al Ahly, Africa’s historic benchmark, will not kick a ball in this competition until mid‑October, when they meet the winner of Mogadishu City of Somalia v Kitara of Uganda. On paper, that is a gentle way into a long campaign. In reality, it is a classic Confederation Cup trap: an East African side with momentum, rhythm, and nothing to lose.

Raja, one of Morocco’s standard‑bearers, will face the qualifier from El Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria v Oudjeb of Benin, a pairing that guarantees a physically demanding opponent. AS FAR await the winner between ASBSI of Chad and Kokoroko of Ivory Coast, another tie that could throw up awkward travel and stubborn resistance.

USM Alger, the defending champions after edging Zamalek of Egypt on penalties in the last final, begin against the winner of Panthers of Ethiopia v ASPAC of Benin. CR Belouizdad, chasing their own continental statement, will meet whoever emerges from Douanes of Burkina Faso v Hafia Conakry of Guinea.

Azam’s path starts against the winner of ZED of Egypt v Ittihad Djibouti, while Maniema Union will be paired with the winner of University of Namibia (UNAM) v Kabuscorp de Palanca of Angola. Kaizer Chiefs, another of the seeded sides, will step in against the victor from Red Arrows of Zambia v FC Rouge of Congo.

The giants have been spared each other. For now.

First Round: Long Roads and High Stakes

Before the royalty arrive, the Confederation Cup will be defined by the lesser‑known names who keep this competition alive.

The first preliminary round offers a sweep of the continent in a single glance:

• 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 leap off the page. Shooting Stars v CS Sfaxien pitches Nigerian pedigree against Tunisian nous far earlier than either would have liked. Diarra v Nations of Ghana, AS Sam v ASKO Kara, and Vitesse v Real Bamako hint at bruising, finely balanced contests in West Africa.

For clubs such as Port Louis 2000, Rukinzo, or Bazar Brothers, this is about more than a result. It is about visibility, revenue, and the chance to stretch a season deep into 2027.

First‑leg matches run from 4 to 6 September, with the return legs between 11 and 13 September. Two weeks to decide who keeps dreaming and who settles for the consolation cheque.

Second Round: Where the Hierarchy Bites

Once the dust settles, the winners will run into the seeded eight and each other in a second preliminary round that will shape the group stage.

The ties are already mapped:

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

The pressure here is brutal. One misstep, one poor away leg, and a seeded club can tumble out before the groups. For the unseeded sides, this is the moment to turn a good draw into a defining upset.

Second preliminary round first legs are set for 16 to 18 October, with return matches from 23 to 25 October. By the end of that window, the field will be cut to 16 for the group stage.

A Long, Demanding Road to May

CAF has laid out a schedule that will test depth, travel planning, and endurance as much as talent.

Group stage fixtures unfold as follows:

• Matchday one: 27–29 November 2026
• Matchday two: 4–6 December 2026
• Matchday three: 18–20 December 2026
• Matchday four: 8–10 January 2027
• Matchday five: 15–17 January 2027
• Matchday six: 22–24 January 2027

Then the knockout phase takes over.

Quarter‑final first legs are pencilled in for 26–28 February 2027, with the returns from 5 to 7 March. Semi‑finals will run 9–11 April and 16–18 April.

The final will be staged at some point between 9 and 31 May 2027. The exact date and venue remain open, a blank line waiting for two names and one defining night.

USM Alger currently hold the trophy. Al Ahly, Raja, AS FAR, CR Belouizdad, Kaizer Chiefs, Azam, Maniema Union and the rest now know the path they must walk to take it from them—or keep it.

The draw is done. The map is clear. The only question left is which club will still be standing when Africa’s long Confederation Cup journey reaches its last stop in May 2027.