CAF announces kickoff dates for 2025/26 Champions League and Confederation Cup

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that the 2025/26 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup competitions will commence in September.

The shift in the calendar is due to the scheduling of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which is set to take place in August.

CAF has outlined the following schedule for the interclub tournaments:

Preliminary Rounds

First Preliminary Round:

• First leg: September 19–21, 2025
• Second leg: September 26–28, 2025
• Second Preliminary Round:
• First leg: October 17–19, 2025
• Second leg: October 24–26, 2025

Group Stage Matches

• Matchday 1: November 21–23, 2025
• Matchday 2: November 28–30, 2025
• Matchday 3: January 23–25, 2026
• Matchday 4: January 30–February 1, 2026
• Matchday 5: February 6–8, 2026
• Matchday 6: February 13–15, 2026

Knockout Phase

Quarter-finals:

• First leg: March 13–15, 2026
• Second leg: March 20–22, 2026
• Semi-finals:
• First leg: April 10–12, 2026
• Second leg: April 17–19, 2026
• Final: Scheduled to be played between May 8 and 24, 2026

Player Registration Periods

CAF also confirmed the registration windows for participating clubs:

• Preliminary Round Registration: August 1–31, 2025
• Second Preliminary Round Registration: September 1–30, 2025
• Group Stage Registration: October 1–31, 2025
• Knockout Stage Registration: January 1–31, 2026

These dates are intended to streamline preparations and ensure a smooth competition amid a packed football calendar.