CAF Champions League 2026/27 preliminary draw: Five-tier club seeding system confirmed ahead of key qualifiers

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the club classification system for the 2026/27 CAF Champions League preliminary round draw, with participating teams divided into five levels based on rankings and geographical considerations.

The draw will determine the potential routes and opponents for clubs competing for places in the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition.

Three of Africa’s most successful and highly ranked clubs have been placed in Level 1 and exempted from the opening preliminary round. The trio includes South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns, Tunisian powerhouse ES Tunis, and Moroccan side RS Berkane.

The exemption means the three clubs will skip the first qualifying phase and enter the competition at a later stage.

Top-ranked clubs placed in Level 2

The second category features 10 of the continent’s highest-ranked teams, who will be among the seeded sides during the preliminary draw.

The list includes Angola’s Atletico Petróleos, South African giants Orlando Pirates, Tanzanian champions Simba SC and Young Africans, Egyptian heavyweights Zamalek SC and Pyramids FC, Sudanese club Al Hilal, Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas, Mali’s Stade Malien, and Algerian side MC Alger.

These clubs will be hoping to avoid difficult early encounters as they begin their journey towards securing a place in the group stage.

Strong contenders in Level 3

Six clubs have been placed in Level 3, including some of Africa’s most experienced continental campaigners.

The group consists of Democratic Republic of Congo giants TP Mazembe, Nigeria’s Rivers United, Zambia’s Power Dynamos, Mali’s Djoliba AC, Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou, and Guinea’s Horoya AC.

Medeama SC among Level 4 clubs

Ghana Premier League champions Medeama SC have been placed in Level 4 alongside five other clubs.

The Tarkwa-based side will join Sudanese club Al Merreikh SC, Tunisia’s Club Africain, Côte d’Ivoire’s FC San Pedro, Uganda’s Vipers SC, and Algeria’s JS Saoura in the category.

Medeama are set to represent Ghana in the Champions League after securing the domestic league title and will be aiming to make a strong impression on their return to Africa’s elite club competition.

36 clubs make up Level 5

The largest category contains 36 non-ranked clubs from across the continent, including teams from countries such as Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania and others.

Among the clubs in Level 5 are Wiliete SC, Gaborone United SC, Fomboni FC, 15 de Agosto, Nsingizini Hotspurs, AS Manga Sport, Mighty Wanderers, African Stars, APR FC, Gor Mahia FC, Rangers International FC, Teungueth FC, MAS de Fès, ASN Nigelec, ASCK, and Star Sport Academy.

The preliminary round draw is expected to provide the first indication of the challenges clubs will face as they battle for qualification.

With only a limited number of teams guaranteed progression to the group stage, clubs will need to navigate several rounds of competitive fixtures to reach the main phase of the tournament.

CAF’s seeding structure is designed to balance competitive fairness while reducing the possibility of early meetings between the continent’s highest-ranked teams.