The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2026/27 reaches a critical juncture this weekend as clubs across the continent contest their First Preliminary Round second legs, with places in the Second Preliminary Round at stake.

Big leads to defend

Tanzania's Singida Black Stars enter the weekend in the most enviable position of any side, following their staggering 7-1 win away at South Sudan's Al-Ghazala SC in Juba. Mathew Tegisi grabbed a first-half hat-trick to power that result, and Singida now need only to finish the job on home turf.

Togo's ASKO de Kara are also well placed after routing Niger's AS ZAM 5-0 away, while Egyptian newcomers ZED FC carry a 4-0 cushion over ASAS Djibouti Télécom into their return fixture. Libya's Al Ahly Tripoli recorded a 3-0 win at KMKM in Zanzibar, and El Kanemi Warriors hold an identical three-goal lead heading into their second leg.

Angola's Primeiro de Agosto and Kabuscorp de Palanca each won 2-0 away — against Green Mamba and UNAM respectively — while Zambia's Red Arrows, who beat FC Rouge 2-0 through goals from Eliya Mundanji and Alassane Diarra, travel to Madagascar knowing that victory earns them a date with Kaizer Chiefs in the next round.

Sfaxien face a deficit

Three-time TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup champions CS Sfaxien find themselves in unfamiliar territory, needing to overcome a 1-0 deficit at home against Nigeria's Shooting Stars. Lucky Emmanuel's 25th-minute effort handed Shooting Stars a precious away advantage in the first leg.

South Africa's Durban City, competing on the continental stage for the first time, take a narrow 1-0 lead to Burundi to face Rukinzo FC, while Mozambique's Associação Black Bulls also hold a one-goal margin after a 1-0 victory away at Atomic Ngomé.

Zarzis make a memorable return

Tunisia's ES Zarzis marked their return to continental football after a 20-year absence with a 3-1 win over Senegal's Diambars FC. Khalil Al-Qassab scored twice as the Tunisian side recovered from an early concession to build a commanding lead ahead of the return leg in Senegal.

Uganda's Kitara FC and Mali's AS Real Bamako both won 2-1 away — against Mogadishu City and Burkina Faso's Vitesse FC respectively — and will look to protect those leads on home soil.

All to play for

Several ties remain wide open. Hafia FC and AS Douanes are level at 2-2, as are Tusker FC and Al Ahli Madani. Rayon Sports and Panthère Sportive, Jwaneng Galaxy and AS Port Louis 2000, East End Lions and AF Amadou Diallo, and CO Korhogo and AS PSI all drew 1-1 or 2-2 in their opening legs, leaving four ties with everything still to be decided.

The 24 first-round winners will join eight exempted clubs — Al Ahly, Azam FC, USM Alger, CR Belouizdad, AS FAR, Raja Casablanca, AS Maniema Union, and Kaizer Chiefs — in the Second Preliminary Round.

CAF will award a USD 100,000 solidarity payment to eliminated clubs, while the eventual champion will receive USD 4 million.

Second leg fixtures

Friday, 11 September 2026 (all times GMT): CD Primeiro de Agosto v Green Mamba (15h00); Hafia FC v AS Douanes (16h00); AS Real Bamako v Vitesse FC (16h00).

Saturday, 12 September 2026: Tusker FC v Al Ahli Madani (12h00); Welwalo Adigrat USC v Hilal Alsahil (16h00); Kitara FC v Mogadishu CC (16h00); Rayon Sport FC v Panthère Sportive (16h00); East End Lions FC v AF Amadou Diallo (16h00); Associação Black Bulls v Atomic Ngomé (16h30); Diambars FC v ES Zarzis (17h00); Jwaneng Galaxy v AS Port Louis 2000 (17h00); Al Ahly Tripoli v KMKM SC (17h00); ASAS Djibouti Télécom v ZED FC (17h00).

Sunday, 13 September 2026: FC Rouge v Red Arrows FC (11h00); Singida Black Stars v Al-Ghazala SC (13h00); Rukinzo FC v Durban City FC (13h00); PTL Bazar Brothers v DC Virunga (13h30); Kabuscorp de Palanca v UNAM (15h00); Nations FC v FC Diarra (15h00); ASKO de Kara v AS ZAM (15h30); CO Korhogo v AS PSI (16h00); UDIB v El Kanemi Warriors (16h00); CS Sfaxien v Shooting Stars SC (17h00).

Wednesday, 16 September 2026: ASPAC FC v The Panthers FC (15h00).