By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The path to African club football glory will begin Aug. 6 with the preliminary round draws for the 2026-27 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.
The draws are scheduled to take place at CAF headquarters in Cairo, with the Confederation Cup draw at 2 p.m. local time (11 a.m. GMT), followed by the Champions League draw at 3 p.m. local time (noon GMT). Both events will be broadcast live on CAF TV.
Clubs from across the continent will learn their first opponents as they vie for a place in the group stages of Africa’s premier club competitions. The winners of the Champions League will receive $6 million in prize money, while the Confederation Cup champions will earn $4 million.
Teams eliminated during the preliminary rounds will each receive a solidarity payment of $100,000, part of CAF’s ongoing commitment to supporting participating clubs and boosting engagement in its interclub tournaments.
The preliminary rounds have produced memorable contests and compelling storylines in recent seasons, often pitting established continental powers against ambitious emerging clubs eager to make their mark.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa enter the Champions League as defending champions, while USM Alger of Algeria hold the Confederation Cup title after lifting the trophy last season.
