CAF Champions League 2026/27 Kickoff: Sundowns Get a Bye, But Pirates Face a Tricky Trip
The road to African glory starts this weekend. The TotalEnergies CAF Champions League First Preliminary Round kicks off 04-06 September, and while defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns get to sit this one out, Orlando Pirates don’t have it so easy.
Sundowns are one of only three clubs — alongside Espérance de Tunis and RS Berkane — handed a bye straight into the Second Preliminary Round. No opening-round nerves for the champions.
Pirates, though, are on the road immediately: a trip to Mauritius to face Champions League debutants La Cure Waves. Win that, and either Gabon’s AS Mangasport or Namibia’s African Stars await in the next round.
The draw at a glance:
- TP Mazembe (5-time African champions) travel to Ghana to face Medeama SC — arguably the toughest assignment of the round, with Tunisia’s Club Africain or Mali’s Djoliba AC waiting for the winner
- Zamalek open away at AS Port of Djibouti
- Pyramids FC head to Nairobi to face Kenyan giants Gor Mahia
- Simba SC travel to Malawi to face Mighty Wanderers
- Young Africans SC face Botswana champions Gaborone United
- Also in action: ASEC Mimosas vs ASCK of Togo, Al Hilal (Sudan) vs Aigle Noir (Burundi), and Atlético Petróleos (Angola) away at UD do Songo (Mozambique)
First legs run 04-06 September, return legs 11-13 September. The Second Preliminary Round follows 16-18 October (return legs 23-25 October), after which 16 clubs per competition advance to the group stages.
61 clubs entered this year’s competition. Every side knocked out in the Preliminary Rounds walks away with USD 100,000 from CAF to help cover travel costs — a continued push from the confederation to ease the financial strain of continental football.
