The Confederation of African Football has unveiled the list of clubs for the qualifying rounds of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League, with Enugu Rangers and Rivers United set to fly Nigeria’s flag.
The list, released by CAF on Monday and published on its website, shows that 24 clubs from 12 countries will compete with two representatives each in the qualifying rounds.
The countries with two slots are Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Tunisia.
Their representatives include Algeria’s Mouloudia Alger and JS Saoura, Angola’s Petro Luanda and Wiliete, Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas and San Pedro, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe and Aigles, Egypt’s Zamalek and Pyramids, Mali’s Djoliba and Stade Malien, Morocco’s MAS Fes and Renaissance Berkane, South Africa’s Orlando Pirates and reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns, Sudan’s Al Hilal and Al Merrikh, Tanzania’s Young Africans and Simba, and Tunisia’s Club Africain and Esperance.
Enugu Rangers and Rivers United will begin their continental campaign in the preliminary round alongside the other clubs from nations allotted two places.
CAF also announced that 40 other member associations will each have one representative in the tournament.
The clubs include Medeama of Ghana, Gor Mahia of Kenya, Horoya of Guinea, APR of Rwanda, Vipers of Uganda, Power Dynamos of Zambia and Scotland of Zimbabwe.
The continental body further stated that Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Somalia have yet to confirm their representatives because their domestic leagues are still in progress.
The current table-toppers are 15 de Agosto/Leones Vegetarianos in Equatorial Guinea, Canchungo in Guinea-Bissau and Heegan in Somalia.
According to CAF, “the first preliminary round of the competition will be played between September 4 and 6, with the return legs scheduled for September 11 to 13.”
The African football governing body also stated that “the second preliminary round will take place from October 16 to 18 and October 23 to 25.”
The group stage is scheduled to kick off between November 27 and 29 before continuing on December 4-6, December 18-20, January 8-10, January 15-17 and January 22-24.
The quarter-finals will be played between February 26 and 28 and March 5 and 7, while the semi-finals are fixed for April 9-11 and April 16-18.
CAF added that the final of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League will be staged in May, although the exact date is yet to be confirmed.
