Zamalek and Pyramids await African Champions League opponents after Cairo draw

The draws for the preliminary rounds of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup are taking place in Cairo on Thursday, with Egyptian champions Zamalek and runners-up Pyramids among the teams waiting to discover their opponents.

The ceremonies are being held at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the Egyptian capital on 6 August 2026. The CAF Confederation Cup draw began at 14:00 Egypt time, followed by the CAF Champions League draw at 15:00.

The Champions League draw includes the Egyptian clubs Zamalek, who won the league title, and Pyramids, who finished as runners-up. The draw will determine the clubs they face as they begin their campaigns in African football’s leading club competition.

Al Ahly were drawn against the winners of the preliminary-round tie between Somali side Mogadishu City and Uganda’s Kitara in the round of 32.

Another tie in the preliminary round will see ZED FC face Djibouti Telecom. The winners of that match will then meet Tanzania’s Azam in the round of 32.

The Champions League round-of-32 first legs are scheduled for 18 October, with the return matches taking place on 25 October. Matches in the round of 64 will be played on 6 September and 13 September.

The draw for the CAF Confederation Cup followed the completion of the Champions League ceremony. Egypt’s representatives in that competition are Al Ahly, who finished third in the league, and ZED FC, the runners-up in the Egyptian Cup.

Al Ahly will begin their Confederation Cup campaign in the round of 32, while ZED FC enter in the first preliminary round.

The winner of the CAF Champions League will receive a prize of $6m. The CAF Confederation Cup champions will be awarded $4m, while clubs eliminated in the preliminary round will receive $100,000.

South African club Mamelodi Sundowns are the reigning CAF Champions League holders. Algeria’s USM Alger are the current holders of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Zamalek and Pyramids will participate in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, according to information obtained by FilGoal.com.

The Cairo draw is therefore particularly significant for the two Egyptian clubs, who must first negotiate the opening stage of the competition before progressing towards the round of 32. The schedule provides a clear timetable for the early stages, with the first preliminary-round matches in September and the next phase beginning in October.

CAF’s two club competitions will decide their first-round pairings during Thursday’s ceremonies, while the prize structure underlines the financial importance of progressing deep into the tournaments. The Champions League winners stand to earn the largest reward of $6m, with the Confederation Cup champions receiving $4m.