The TotalEnergies CAF Champions League resumes this weekend, ushering in a marathon journey that will stretch into next March’s knockout rounds.
A record field of 62 clubs has entered the competition, underscoring its growing reach across the continent.
The opening phase brings 30 first-leg fixtures scheduled between Friday and Sunday, with the return matches to follow next weekend.
For many sides, the assignment is straightforward: secure an advantage at home, withstand the pressures of travel, and earn progression into October’s second preliminary round, where Africa’s most decorated outfits await.
Among the heavyweights who bypass this stage are Al Ahly of Egypt, record winners; South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns; and reigning champions Pyramids FC, who will face Rwanda’s APR in the next round.
CAF has also introduced a USD 100,000 subsidy for teams eliminated in either of the first two rounds, a measure aimed at reducing financial strain and broadening participation.
Ties to Watch
The schedule is filled with intriguing matchups. In Freetown, East End Lions (Sierra Leone) meet Tunisia’s US Monastirienne in a classic regional duel of West African power against North African pedigree.
The prize for the winner is a clash with either Bibiani Gold Stars (Ghana) or Algeria’s JS Kabylie, one of the competition’s storied names.
FC Fassell (Liberia) host Senegal’s ASC Jaraaf in Monrovia, with MC Alger awaiting in round two. In Benin, Dadjè FC square off with a Libyan entrant, their victor moving into the orbit of seasoned continental sides RS Berkane or ASCK (Togo).
Nigeria’s Remo Stars, fast gaining a reputation for slick, possession-driven football, face US Zilimadjou of Comoros. Should they progress, the daunting challenge of Mamelodi Sundowns lies ahead.
Elsewhere, Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora take on Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs in a pathway that could eventually lead to a tantalizing derby with Simba SC of Tanzania.
Perhaps the standout fixture of the round comes in Zambia, where Power Dynamos welcome ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast). ASEC, famed for their youth academy, boast one of Africa’s sharpest attacks, while Dynamos lean on set-piece power and strong home support.
The winners are likely to encounter either African Stars (Namibia) or Vipers SC (Uganda) in the next stage.
In Burkina Faso, Rahimo FC meet AS Mangasport (Gabon), with a potential second-round showdown against Espérance de Tunis looming, depending on the outcome of their tie with Niger’s Forces Armées.
The Challenges Ahead
CAF’s expanded preliminary stage again highlights the logistical and sporting tests of continental football: long-haul travel, varying climates, unfamiliar surfaces, and quick turnarounds between legs.
Home teams this weekend (19–21 September) will aim to build cushions, often by prioritizing clean sheets, while away sides—many of whom are making their seasonal debuts—will seek narrow stalemates or crucial away goals.
The winners across 180 minutes advance to October’s decisive second preliminary round (17–19 and 24–26 September), where qualification for the group stage starting 21 November will be at stake.
From there, the route continues toward the quarter-finals in March 2026, and ultimately, a place among Africa’s continental elite.