CAF Champions League: Mazembe vs. Club Africain and MAS Fes vs. ASEC on the menu for the 2nd preliminary round

The continent is entering the heart of its biggest club competition: the first-leg matches of the 2026-2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League are being played from October 16 to 18, 2026, with the return legs scheduled for October 23 to 25, according to the calendar published by the Confederation of African Football.

Sixteen tickets for the group stage

Sixty-one clubs started this edition. Sixteen of them will pass this round and join the group stage, which is scheduled to kick off at the end of November 2026, the CAF specifies. The governing body adds that each club eliminated during the preliminary rounds receives a grant of 100,000 dollars, a financial safety net that is far from anecdotal for teams that often live on very little.

Mazembe vs. Club Africain, the clash of former kings

The draw produced a clash between two former winners of the tournament: TP Mazembe, crowned five times, hosts Club Africain of Tunis. According to Afrik-Foot, the Ravens of Lubumbashi qualified by eliminating Medeama (4-1 on aggregate) while the Tunisians knocked out Djoliba.

Another high-profile match is the Moroccan-Ivorian duel between MAS Fes, the Moroccan champion, and ASEC Mimosas, which overturned ASC Kara (3-2 on aggregate). RS Berkane, a semi-finalist last season, inherits the Sierra Leonean club Star Sport Academy, and Espérance de Tunis faces the Libyan club Asswehly.

Sundowns, Zamalek, MC Alger, and Teungueth on duty

The South Africans of Mamelodi Sundowns, exempted from the first round, challenge the Angolans of Wiliete. MC Alger, the last Algerian representative in the running, measures itself against the Nigerians of Rangers, who qualified on penalties. Zamalek hosts the Rwandans of APR, Pyramids faces El Merriekh Bentiu, Orlando Pirates plays African Stars, and Horoya of Conakry crosses paths with Al Merrikh.

Senegal remains represented by Teungueth FC, opposed to the Cameroonians of Colombe Sportive, winners over Stade Malien on penalties. FC San Pedro, the second Ivorian club still in the race, faces FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania.

Between now and October 25, the map of African football will therefore be redrawn between Lubumbashi, Fes, Tunis, Pretoria, Cairo, and Conakry. Those eliminated will move on to the Confederation Cup.