The journey towards continental club football glory is set to commence with the Preliminary Round draws for the 2026/27 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup. These pivotal events are scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) headquarters in CairoVenue·Cairo, Egypt, officially launching the new interclub season.
The draw for the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will begin at 14:00 CairoVenue·Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League draw at 15:00 CairoVenue·Cairo time (12:00 GMT). Both ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF TV, allowing fans worldwide to witness the initial pairings that will shape the path to Africa's most coveted club titles.
The stakes for the upcoming season are substantial, reflecting the growing prestige and financial commitment within African club football. The champions of the 2026/27 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League will be awarded a significant USD 6 million in prize money, while the winners of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will receive USD 4 million. Furthermore, CAF has committed to supporting participating teams with a solidarity payment of USD 100,000 for clubs eliminated in the preliminary rounds, underscoring the organisation's dedication to broader club development.
Looking back at the previous season, the 2025/26 CAF Champions League saw South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns clinch their second title, overcoming AS FAR Rabat in a compelling final. In the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, Algeria's USM Alger secured their second championship by defeating Zamalek SC.
The preliminary rounds for the 2026/27 season are anticipated to begin on September 4, 2026, with the second round following on October 16. The group stage is then set to commence on November 27, leading into the knockout phase which will kick off on February 26, 2027. These draws in CairoVenue·Cairo represent the first tangible step for clubs across Africa in their quest for continental supremacy.
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