African Champions League: Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns challenged in Lubango on October 18

On Sunday, October 18, 2026, seven matches wrapped up the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, the final hurdle before the group stage. The most anticipated match sent Mamelodi Sundowns, the continental title holders, to Lubango to play at the Estádio Nacional da Tundavala against Wiliete SC of Benguela.

The South Africans arrived in Angola carrying the label of African champions: in May 2026, they secured their second Champions League title by defeating Morocco's AS FAR, winning 1-0 in Pretoria and drawing 1-1 in Rabat.

However, their opponent is no pushover. Wiliete is undefeated in the Angolan league this season, where they sit at the top with 16 points from six matches, and their striker Mabululu has scored seven goals in his last five games, according to Goal. Their coach, Beto Bianchi, has set a clear objective: eliminate Sundowns to reach a group stage the club has never experienced before. On the South African side, Miguel Cardoso must manage without Khuliso Mudau, who is out with a long-term injury. The return leg is scheduled for October 23, 2026, in Pretoria.

Nigeria, Algeria, Guinea, and Senegal also in action

In Abeokuta, Nigeria's Rangers International hosted MC Alger at 1:00 PM at the Mko Abiola Sports Complex. The Algiers side, who eliminated AS Nigelec with a 5-0 aggregate score in the previous round, are aiming for a group stage they know well; the Nigerians, who knocked out FC Sobémap, know they must build a lead before the return leg in Algiers, notes Africa Top Sports.

Conakry's Horoya AC hosted Al-Merreikh, one of the two major Sudanese clubs, while Teungueth FC hosted Cameroon's Colombe Sportive in Dakar, an open duel between two teams that have already cleared one round to get to this stage.

Two other matches completed the day: Libya's Al-Swehly against Espérance Sportive de Tunis, who are beginning their continental campaign, and Sidama Bunna against Al-Hilal of Omdurman, the other Sudanese giant. Finally, Scotland FC hosted Petro Atlético de Luanda.

Sixteen tickets to the group stage

This second preliminary round features 32 clubs divided into 16 double-header ties played from October 16 to 18, 2026, according to the schedule published by CAF and reported by several media outlets on the continent. The winners will advance to the group stage, the threshold at which an African campaign becomes profitable for a club and sustainably establishes a national league in the continental hierarchy.

This is also where a part of the balance of African football is played out: every qualification snatched by a club from Angola, Guinea, Senegal, or Ethiopia against the big teams from North and Southern Africa expands the map of the continent's strongholds. The return matches are scheduled for the week of October 23, 2026.