By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Panthère Sportive du Ndé, the 2025 Cameroon Cup champion, will open its TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup campaign against Rayon Sports FC of Rwanda in the first preliminary round following the draw conducted Aug. 6 in Cairo.
The opening legs are scheduled for Sept. 4-6, with return matches set for Sept. 11-13. Should Panthère advance, it would meet the winner of the tie between Atomic Ngomé of Comoros and Associação Black Bulls of Mozambique in the second preliminary round, which runs Oct. 16-18, with return legs Oct. 23-25.
More than 56 clubs learned their paths to the group stages, competing for one of African football’s most prestigious trophies and the $4 million prize for the eventual champion.
Clubs eliminated during the preliminary stage will receive a $100,000 solidarity payment from CAF to help cover travel and other logistical costs. The eight highest-ranked clubs received byes into the second preliminary round, while the remaining 48 teams will contest 24 two-legged ties in the opening stage.
The 24 winners will join the eight exempted clubs to form a 32-team second preliminary round, from which 16 victorious sides will advance to the group phase.
Among the most intriguing potential matchups is 12-time TotalEnergies CAF Champions League winner Al Ahly, which will face either Mogadishu CC of Somalia or Kitara FC of Uganda depending on the outcome of their first-round tie.
Defending Confederation Cup champion USM Alger received a bye and will enter against either The Panthers FC of Equatorial Guinea or Benin’s ASPAC FC. The Algerian side claimed its second Confederation Cup crown last season and will be among the leading contenders as it seeks to defend the title.
