CAF Confederation Cup Draw: Giants Face Underdogs

The road to the 2026–2027 CAF Confederation Cup began in Cairo on Thursday, with the draw laying out a sprawling, unpredictable map from early September to a final pencilled in for late May 2027. On paper, the heavyweights have been handed breathing space. In reality, Africa’s second-tier club competition rarely respects reputations for long.

Fifty-six clubs will chase a title worth 4 million dollars in prize money, with even those falling at the first hurdles guaranteed 100,000 dollars in solidarity payments. For many, that cheque alone can reshape a season. For a select few, only the trophy will do.

Big Guns Bide Their Time

CAF’s ranking system has spared eight of the continent’s most consistent performers from the first preliminary round. They step straight into the second, watching the early chaos from a distance.

Al Ahly of Egypt, Africa’s historic benchmark, headline that group. They are joined by Azam of Tanzania, USM Alger and CR Belouizdad of Algeria, Raja and AS FAR of Morocco, Maniema Union of Congo, and Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa.

Their reward? Fewer games, but a clear target on their backs.

Al Ahly will open their campaign against the winner of Mogadishu City of Somalia v Kitara of Uganda. On paper, it is a gentle introduction for a club accustomed to the sharp end of African competition. For Mogadishu City or Kitara, it is something else entirely: a shot at the continent’s most decorated side over two legs.

Raja of Morocco wait for the survivor of El Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria v Oudjeb of Benin, a tie that will test travel, logistics and nerve long before the Casablanca crowd comes into play. AS FAR will watch closely as ASBSI of Chad face Kokoroko of Ivory Coast, knowing a tricky, awkward opponent could emerge from that pairing.

USM Alger, the defending champions after edging Zamalek of Egypt on penalties in the last final, will meet whoever comes through Panthers of Ethiopia v ASPAC of Benin. CR Belouizdad, eyeing a deep run of their own, must deal with the winner of Douanes of Burkina Faso v Hafia Conakry of Guinea.

Azam of Tanzania, another of the seeded eight, will face the winner of ZED of Egypt v Ittihad Djibouti. Maniema Union of DR Congo step in against the winner of University of Namibia (UNAM) v Kabuscorp de Palanca of Angola. Kaizer Chiefs, with a huge fanbase and high expectations, are paired with the winner of Red Arrows of Zambia v FC Rouge of Congo.

The giants know their paths. Now they must hope the early rounds do not deliver a dark horse in full stride.

First Preliminary Round: A Continental Scrap

Before the heavyweights join, 48 clubs will fight through 24 first preliminary round ties, each played over two legs. The first acts of this long campaign will unfold between 4 and 6 September 2026, with return legs from 11 to 13 September.

The draw has scattered intriguing fixtures across the continent:

• 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 of Nigeria against CS Sfaxien of Tunisia has the feel of a group-stage fixture dropped into the qualifying rounds. Diarra of Mali v Nations of Ghana carries a certain regional edge. Port Louis 2000 v Jwaneng Galaxy hints at a test of organisation as much as talent.

For clubs such as Panthers, Atomique du Niger or Bazar Brothers, this is exposure, opportunity and financial oxygen rolled into one. For the likes of CS Sfaxien or Primeiro de Agosto, it is a test of professionalism: avoid early embarrassment, then build.

Second Preliminary Round: Where the Stories Collide

Once the first wave of ties is settled, the competition tightens. The second preliminary round first legs will run from 16 to 18 October, with return legs from 23 to 25 October. The winners here will form a 16-team group-stage line-up.

The draw has already mapped out every pairing:

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

This is where ambition meets reality. A club like Tusker of Kenya, if they can navigate Al Ahly Madani and then the winner of Al Ghazala Wau v Singida Black Stars, could suddenly find themselves one step from the group stage. Durban City, Rukinzo, Port Louis 2000 and Jwaneng Galaxy are locked in a mini-bracket that guarantees at least one lesser-known name will stand on the brink of the continental spotlight.

For USM Alger, every opponent from now on will measure themselves against the holders. For Kaizer Chiefs, whose domestic expectations are relentless, a tie against Red Arrows or FC Rouge already feels like a test of how serious their campaign will be.

The Long March: From Groups to May’s Final

Beyond the preliminaries, CAF has set a clear calendar that will shape domestic seasons across the continent.

The group stage will 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

From there, the knockout rounds compress the drama:

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

By then, the names Mogadishu City, Atomique du Niger or DC Virunga may have faded from the bracket—or they may have written themselves into it in ink. The draw in Cairo has done its part. The rest now belongs to the clubs who believe this is their year to turn a solidarity payment into something far more enduring.