CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup draws to be held in Cairo on Thursday

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will hold the preliminary-round draws for the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup at its headquarters in Cairo on Thursday, 6 August.

The draw ceremony will begin with the Confederation Cup at 14:00 Egypt time, followed by the CAF Champions League draw at 15:00.

Both events will be broadcast on television and streamed through CAF’s official YouTube channel, allowing supporters to follow the opening stage of the two continental club competitions.

Egypt will have four representatives across the tournaments.

Zamalek, the Egyptian league champions, and Pyramids, who finished as league runners-up, will compete in the CAF Champions League. Al Ahly, who ended the league campaign in third place, and ZED, runners-up in the Egyptian Cup, will represent Egypt in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The Cairo draw will mark the start of the preliminary-round process for both competitions. Clubs will discover their opponents as they begin their campaigns for continental honours.

The financial rewards provide an additional incentive for the participating teams. The winners of the CAF Champions League will receive $6m, while the CAF Confederation Cup winners will be awarded $4m.

Clubs eliminated in the preliminary round will receive a payment of $100,000.

Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa are the reigning CAF Champions League holders, while Algerian side USM Alger hold the CAF Confederation Cup title.

CAF’s announcement confirms the date, venue and broadcast arrangements for the first major draw of the new continental club season. The ceremony will take place at the African football governing body’s headquarters in the Egyptian capital, with the two competitions drawn separately on the same day.

The Confederation Cup draw is scheduled to take place first, at 14:00, before the Champions League ceremony follows one hour later. The distinction is significant for the Egyptian teams involved, with Zamalek and Pyramids entering the Champions League draw and Al Ahly and ZED awaiting their Confederation Cup opponents.

The prize money announced for the two competitions means the Champions League winners will earn $2m more than the Confederation Cup champions. CAF has also confirmed that teams departing during the preliminary round will not leave empty-handed, with each receiving $100,000.

Mamelodi Sundowns will begin their defence of the Champions League crown, while USM Alger will seek to retain the Confederation Cup trophy as the new campaign gets under way.