CAF Confederation Cup draw set for Thursday as African heavyweights enter the race

The draw for the opening two preliminary rounds of the 2026-27 CAF Confederation Cup will take place on Thursday, 6 August, with a host of major African clubs involved in a competition that promises to be unusually competitive.

The CAF Confederation Cup generally features teams with a lower profile than those competing in the CAF Champions League. This season, however, several of the continent’s most established clubs will be taking part, despite traditionally operating on Africa’s premier stage.

The biggest name in the field is Al Ahly. The Cairo club, record winners of the CAF Champions League with 12 titles, will enter the Confederation Cup after finishing third in the Egyptian league. Their presence makes them one of the clear favourites and a major threat to the rest of the field.

Al Ahly have previously won the CAF Confederation Cup. Their only triumph in the competition came in 2014, when they were transferred into the tournament after being eliminated early from the CAF Champions League.

AS FAR Rabat are another heavyweight drawn into the second-tier continental competition. The Moroccan side were runners-up in the CAF Champions League last season, but failed to secure qualification for this season’s competition through Botola. Their participation significantly raises the standard of the Confederation Cup.

They will be joined by fellow Moroccan club Raja Casablanca, who have won the competition twice, in 2018 and 2021.

USM Alger will defend the trophy they won in the previous edition and will be aiming for a third Confederation Cup title, following their successes in 2023 and 2026. The Algerian club’s domestic rivals CR Belouizdad will also take part after reaching the semi-finals last season, with their target being another run to the final four.

The Congolese side AS Maniema Union are also among the notable entrants. They reached the quarter-finals of the competition last season and will be looking to go further this time.

Most of the leading contenders are not expected to begin their campaigns in the first preliminary round. According to the latest reports, eight clubs should receive byes into the second preliminary round because of their high CAF coefficient rankings.

Those clubs are Al Ahly, USM Alger, AS FAR Rabat, CR Belouizdad, Raja Casablanca, AS Maniema Union, AS Otoho of Congo and Azam FC of Tanzania.

The exemption will protect the highest-ranked teams from an additional early tie, while also creating the prospect of a particularly demanding second preliminary round. The clubs that come through that final qualifying stage will make up the 16-team group phase.

The concentration of historic and high-profile clubs at the qualifying stage means the 2026-27 CAF Confederation Cup is set to be more open and competitive than in previous seasons. The winners will receive a prize of $4m, while every participating club is guaranteed at least $100,000.

By Romain Lantheaume