The 2026–27 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds began on 4 September and will end on 25 October 2026. 61 teams compete in the qualifying rounds to decide the 16 places in the group stage of the 2026–27 CAF Champions League.

All times are local.

Draw

The draw for the qualifying rounds was held on 6 August 2026, 12:00 GMT (15:00 local time, UTC+3), at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

With 61 clubs registered to take part in the qualifying rounds, three clubs have received byes to the second round. The remaining sides have been placed in Pots depending on their CAF 5-year ranking and were drawn taking into account several factors, including geographical location.

Entry roundSecond round(3 teams)First round(58 teams)Teams Mamelodi Sundowns Espérance de Tunis RS Berkane Pot 1(14 teams)Pot 2(11 teams) Wiliete Gaborone United Fomboni 15 de Agosto Nsingizini Hotspurs AS Mangasport Lijabatho FC CFFA Mighty Wanderers La Cure Waves UD Songo African Stars Foresters Scottland Aigle Noir Aiglons Aigles du Congo AS Port Sidama Gor Mahia Asswehly APR Heegan El Merriekh Bentiu KVZ FCPot 3(11 teams)Pot 4(6 teams) Sobemap Rahimo Colombe Sportive Canchungo Maghreb Fez ASN Nigelec Rangers Teungueth Star Sport Academy Medina United ASC Kara Al Merrikh Medeama Vipers Club Africain San Pédro JS Saoura Pot 5(6 teams)Highest ranked teams(10 teams) TP Mazembe Rivers United Power Dynamos Djoliba Nouadhibou Horoya Pyramids Zamalek Al Hilal Simba Young Africans Petro de Luanda ASEC Mimosas Stade Malien MC Alger Orlando Pirates Format

In the qualifying rounds, each tie will be played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score will be tied after the second leg, the away goals rule will be applied, and if still tied, extra time will not be played, and a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winner (Regulations III. 13 & 14).

Schedule The schedule of the competition will be as follows.

+Schedule for the 2026–27 CAF Champions League qualifying roundsRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legFirst round6 August 20264–6 September 202611–13 September 2026Second round16–18 October 202623–25 October 2026

Bracket The bracket of the draw was announced by the CAF on 6 August 2026.

The 16 winners of the second round will advance to the group stage.

First round The first round, also called the first preliminary round, will include the 58 teams that did not receive byes to the second round.

Wiliete won 5–0 on aggregate.

Scottland won 1–0 on aggregate.

Petro de Luanda won 3–2 on aggregate.

3–3 on aggregate. African Stars won on away goals.

Orlando Pirates won 3–1 on aggregate.

15 de Agosto won 5–0 on aggregate.

Simba won 7–1 on aggregate.

CFFA won 3–1 on aggregate.

Young Africans won 3–2 on aggregate.

Asswehly won 3–1 on aggregate.

APR won 3–1 on aggregate.

Zamalek won 6–1 on aggregate.

El Merriekh Bentiu won 4–0 on aggregate.

Pyramids won 7–1 on aggregate.

Sidama won 3–0 on aggregate.

Al Hilal won 3–0 on aggregate.

1–1 on aggregate. Star Sport Academy won on away goals.

Maghreb Fez won 4–1 on aggregate.

ASEC Mimosas won 3–2 on aggregate.

Teungueth won 2–0 on aggregate.

0–0 on aggregate. Colombe Sportive won 4–3 on penalties.

2–2 on aggregate. Rangers won 5–4 on penalties.

MC Alger won 5–0 on aggregate.

3–3 on aggregate. San Pédro won on away goals.

1–1 on aggregate. Nouadhibou won on away goals.

Horoya won 3–2 on aggregate.

Al Merrikh won 2–0 on aggregate.

TP Mazembe won 4–1 on aggregate.

Club Africain won 3–2 on aggregate.

Second round The second round, also called the second preliminary round, will include 32 teams: the 3 teams that received byes to this round, and the 29 winners of the first round.

See also 2026–27 CAF Confederation Cup qualifying rounds

Notes

References

External links TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, CAFonline.com