2026/27 CAF Champions League: Four pots confirmed ahead of 28 October draw

The pots for the 2026/27 CAF Champions League group-stage draw have been confirmed, with 16 clubs set to discover their opponents when the draw takes place on 28 October.

The teams have been divided into four pots, with defending continental ambitions and the prospect of difficult group-stage encounters expected to shape the competition as clubs prepare for the next phase.

Tunisian giants ES Tunis, Egyptian side Zamalek SC, Morocco’s RS Berkane and fellow Egyptian club Pyramids FC headline Pot 1.

Pot 2 features Al Hilal of Sudan, Tanzanian rivals Simba SC and Young Africans (Yanga), alongside Angola’s Petro de Luanda.

Algerian side MC Alger, South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania and Guinea’s Horoya AC make up Pot 3.

Pot 4 includes Club Africain of Tunisia, Angola’s Wiliete SC, Colombe Sportive and Morocco’s MAS Fès.

Full list of pots

Pot 1

• ES Tunis
• Zamalek SC
• RS Berkane
• Pyramids FC

Pot 2

• Al Hilal
• Simba SC
• Young Africans (Yanga)
• Petro de Luanda

Pot 3

• MC Alger
• Orlando Pirates
• FC Nouadhibou
• Horoya AC

Pot 4

• Club Africain
• Wiliete SC
• Colombe Sportive
• MAS Fès

Tough tests expected

The draw is expected to produce competitive groups, with several clubs boasting significant continental experience and ambitions of reaching the knockout stages.

Pot 1 contains four prominent sides, while Pot 2 includes clubs with strong followings and established reputations in African football. Orlando Pirates and MC Alger are among the notable names in Pot 3, adding to the potential for challenging match-ups.

The presence of Club Africain and MAS Fès in Pot 4 could also create difficult assignments for teams drawn against them.

With the pots now established, attention will turn to the draw on 28 October, when the clubs will learn their routes through the group stage and begin planning for the continental campaign.

The CAF Champions League remains Africa’s premier club competition, bringing together leading sides from across the continent in pursuit of the title.