The 2026/27 CAF Interclub season kicks off in earnest on Thursday, 6 August 2026, when the Preliminary Round draws for both the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup take place at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup draw is scheduled first, at 14h00 Cairo time (11h00 GMT), with the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League draw following at 15h00 Cairo time (12h00 GMT). Both ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF TV.

Prize money and solidarity payments

The stakes are significant. The winners of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League will collect $6 million in prize money, while the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup champions will earn $4 million.

Clubs knocked out at the preliminary stage will not leave empty-handed — each will receive a solidarity payment of $100,000 as part of CAF's broader commitment to investing in its member clubs and deepening participation across both competitions.

Defending champions

South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns enter the new campaign as holders of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, having claimed the title last season. In the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, Algeria's USM Alger are the reigning champions following their triumph in 2025/26.

The draws will bring together established continental powers and emerging clubs chasing a place in Africa's top club competition group stages. Clubs across the continent will learn their first-round opponents as another chapter in African club football history begins to unfold.

For more information, visit www.cafonline.com.