The draw for the first two Preliminary Rounds of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2026/27 took place on Thursday, with all 56 competing clubs discovering their potential paths to the group stages — and a shot at the USD 4 million prize awarded to the eventual champions.

Al Ahly's opening challenge

Twelve-time CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly will enter at the Second Preliminary Round, awaiting the outcome of a First Preliminary Round tie between Mogadishu CC of Somalia and Uganda's Kitara FC. Whichever side prevails will earn the right to face the Egyptian giants in what promises to be a significant test of ambition.

Eight clubs ranked highest in CAF's coefficients received byes directly into the Second Preliminary Round, while the remaining 48 clubs compete across 24 two-legged First Preliminary Round ties. The 24 winners from that stage combine with the eight seeded clubs to form a 32-team Second Preliminary Round, from which 16 sides will advance to the group stages.

Defending champions USM Alger enter in round two

USM Alger, who claimed their second TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup crown last season, also received a bye. The Algerian side will face either The Panthers FC of Equatorial Guinea or Benin's ASPAC FC when they make their entrance in the second round.

Their Algerian counterparts CR Belouizdad will enter at the same stage, awaiting the winners of the clash between Mauritania's AS Douanes and Guinea's Hafia FC.

Moroccan clubs in the mix

AS FAR of Morocco will meet either Chad's AS PSI or Côte d'Ivoire's CO Korhogo in the Second Preliminary Round, while Raja Casablanca could face El Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria or UDIB of Guinea-Bissau — a tie that would set up a fascinating North Africa versus West Africa encounter.

South African sides eye progress

Kaizer Chiefs, who reached the group stages last season, face either Zambia's Red Arrows FC or Madagascar's FC Rouge to extend their campaign. Red Arrows are a seasoned continental side and will not make things easy for the Johannesburg club.

Fellow South Africans Durban City FC open against Rudinzo FC of Burundi before a potential Second Preliminary Round meeting with either AS Port Louis 2000 of Mauritius or Botswana's Jwaneng Galaxy.

Notable first-round ties

Nigeria's Shooting Stars take on Tunisia's CS Sfaxien in a standout First Preliminary Round fixture. The winners will then face either AF Amadou Diallo of Côte d'Ivoire or Sierra Leone's East End Lions FC.

There is also an intriguing prospective second-round meeting involving the winners of ES Zarzis of Tunisia against Senegal's Diambars FC, who would then face either Burkina Faso's Vitesse FC or AS Real de Bamako of Mali.

Clubs eliminated during the preliminary rounds will each receive a USD 100,000 subvention from CAF to offset travel and logistical expenses.

Key dates

The First Preliminary Round opening legs are scheduled for September 4–6, with the return legs on September 11–13. The Second Preliminary Round begins October 16–18, with the decisive return legs played October 23–25.