Kaizer Chiefs have received a first-round bye in the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup after the preliminary round draw was conducted in Cairo on Thursday.
Amakhosi are among eight clubs exempted from the opening round of the competition and will enter at the second preliminary stage, where they will face either Red Arrows of Zambia or FC Rouge of Madagascar.
Kaizer Chiefs will play the first leg away before hosting the decisive second leg at the end of October, with a place in the lucrative group stage on the line.
Durban City handed historic continental debut
Newcomers Durban City, who qualified for Africa after winning the Nedbank Cup, will make their continental debut against Rukinzo of Burundi in the opening preliminary round.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit will host the first leg during the weekend of 4 to 6 September, before travelling for the return fixture a week later.
Should they overcome the Burundian side, Durban City will meet either AS Port Louis 2000 of Mauritius or Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana in the second preliminary round.
Road to the group stage
A total of 56 clubs have entered this season’s CAF Confederation Cup, with the tournament offering $4 million in prize money to the eventual champions.
The competition schedule is as follows:
- First preliminary round (first legs): 4-6 September
- First preliminary round (second legs): 11-13 September
- Second preliminary round (first legs): 16-18 October
- Second preliminary round (second legs): 23-25 October
The 16 winners from the second preliminary round will qualify for the group stage, which is scheduled to begin at the end of November.
Kaizer Chiefs will be aiming to make the group phase after returning to continental football, while Durban City face the challenge of navigating two knockout rounds in their first-ever CAF campaign.
First Preliminary Round
Mogadishu CC (Somalia) vs Kitara FC (Uganda)
ZED FC (Egypt) vs ASAS Djibouti Télécom (Djibouti)
Al Hilal Alsahil (Sudan) vs Welwalo Adigrat (Ethiopia)
KMKM SC (Zanzibar) vs Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
Al Ahli Madani (Sudan) vs Tusker FC (Kenya)
Al-Ghazala SC Wau (South Sudan) vs Singida Black Stars (Tanzania)
The Panthers FC (Equatorial Guinea) vs ASPAC FC (Benin)
AS PSI (Chad) vs CO Korhogo (Côte d’Ivoire)
AS Douanes (Mauritania) vs Hafia FC (Guinea)
El Kanemi Warriors (Nigeria) vs UDIB (Guinea-Bissau)
AF Amadou Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire) vs East End Lions FC (Sierra Leone)
Shooting Stars (Nigeria) vs CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
ES Zarzis (Tunisia) vs Diambars FC (Senegal)
Vitesse FC (Burkina Faso) vs AS Real de Bamako (Mali)
FC Diarra (Mali) vs Nations FC (Ghana)
AS ZAM (Niger) vs ASKO de Kara (Togo)
UNAM (Namibia) vs Kabuscorp de Palanca (Angola)
Red Arrows FC (Zambia) vs FC Rouge (Madagascar)
Durban City FC (South Africa) vs Rukinzo FC (Burundi)
AS Port Louis 2000 (Mauritius) vs Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)
Panthère Sportive (Cameroon) vs Rayon Sports FC (Rwanda)
Atomic Ngomé (Comoros) vs Associação Black Bulls (Mozambique)
DC Virunga (DR Congo) vs PTL Bazar Brothers (Seychelles)
Green Mamba (Eswatini) vs CD Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)
First legs: September 4-6, 2026
Second legs: September 11-13, 2026
Second Preliminary Round
Mogadishu CC (Somalia) or Kitara FC (Uganda) vs Al Ahly FC (Egypt)
ZED FC (Egypt) or ASAS Djibouti Télécom (Djibouti) vs Azam FC (Tanzania)
Al Hilal Alsahil (Sudan) or Welwalo Adigrat (Ethiopia) vs KMKM SC (Zanzibar) or Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
Al Ahli Madani (Sudan) or Tusker FC (Kenya) vs Al-Ghazala SC Wau (South Sudan) or Singida Black Stars (Tanzania)
The Panthers FC (Equatorial Guinea) or ASPAC FC (Benin) vs USM Alger (Algeria)
AS PSI (Chad) or CO Korhogo (Côte d’Ivoire) vs AS FAR (Morocco)
AS Douanes (Mauritania) or Hafia FC (Guinea) vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
El Kanemi Warriors (Nigeria) or UDIB (Guinea-Bissau) vs Raja CA (Morocco)
AF Amadou Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire) or East End Lions FC (Sierra Leone) vs Shooting Stars (Nigeria) or CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
ES Zarzis (Tunisia) or Diambars FC (Senegal) vs Vitesse FC (Burkina Faso) or AS Real de Bamako (Mali)
FC Diarra (Mali) or Nations FC (Ghana) vs AS ZAM (Niger) or ASKO de Kara (Togo)
UNAM (Namibia) or Kabuscorp de Palanca (Angola) vs AS Maniema Union (DR Congo)
Red Arrows FC (Zambia) or FC Rouge (Madagascar) vs Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)
Durban City FC (South Africa) or Rukinzo FC (Burundi) vs AS Port Louis 2000 (Mauritius) or Jwaneng Galaxy FC (Botswana)
Panthère Sportive (Cameroon) or Rayon Sports FC (Rwanda) vs Atomic Ngomé (Comoros) or Associação Black Bulls (Mozambique)
DC Virunga (DR Congo) or PTL Bazar Brothers (Seychelles) vs Green Mamba (Eswatini) or CD Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)
First legs: October 16-18, 2026
Second legs: October 23-25, 2026
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