New Champions League season kicks off with high-stakes preliminary round matches
Contenders aiming to succeed Al Ahly as title holders of the Champions League discovered their opponents on Thursday when the draw for the preliminary stage was held at the CAF headquarters in Cairo on Thursday.
With 54 matches scheduled to be played some exciting clashes are expected with the game between ambitious Arta Solar of Djibouti and Somalia’s Dekadaha FC set to draw attention.
Young Africans of Tanzania will face off against Burundi’s Vital’o FC while FC Nouadhibou will have to manage a challenging away match against Guinea’s Milo FC.
Al Ahly, Espérance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Atlético Petroleos, Young Africans, and TP Mazembe are exempted from preliminary round.
The winner of the duel between El Merreikh and Gor Mahia FC will face Al Ahly, the titleholder.
Espérance of Tunisia will meet the winner of the clash between Arta Solar and Dekadaha FC in the next round. The winner of the encounter between Swallows and Fer Da Beira will clash with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Similarly, the winner of the match between Ngezi Platinium and AS Maniema will compete against Atlético Petroleos. The last exempted team, TP Mazembe, will face the winner of the match between Nyasa Big Bullets and Red Arrows.
The second round of the preliminary phases of the Champions League is scheduled for September 13-15 for the first leg matches and September 20-22 for the return legs.
Preliminary Round First Leg Matches of the Champions League
M1 & 2: El Merreikh (South Sudan) vs. Gor Mahia (Kenya)
M3 & 4: Arta Solar (Djibouti) vs. Dekadaha (Somalia)
M5 & 6: SC Villa Jogoo (Uganda) vs. Commercial Bank (Ethiopia)
M7 & 8: Vital’O FC (Burundi) vs. Young Africans (Tanzania)
M9 & 10: Azam FC (Tanzania) vs. APR FC (Rwanda)
M11 & 12: JKU SC (Tanzania) vs. Pyramids (Egypt)
M13 & 14: M. Swallows (Eswatini) vs. Fer Da Beira (Mozambique)
M15 & 16: Ngezi Platinum (Zimbabwe) vs. AS Maniema (DR Congo)
M17 & 18: Nyasa Big Bullets (Malawi) vs. Red Arrows FC (Zambia)
M19 & 20: African Stars (Namibia) vs. Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)
M21 & 22: Disciples FC (Madagascar) vs. Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
M23 & 24: US Zilimadjou (Comoros) vs. Rangers FC (Nigeria)
M25 & 26: St Louis (Seychelles) vs. GDSE (Angola)
M27 & 28: AS Douanes (Burkina Faso) vs. Coton Bénin (Benin)
M29 & 30: AS Leopards (Congo) vs. CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
M31 & 32: Victoria UTD (Cameroon) vs. FC Samartex (Ghana)
M33 & 34: ASGNN (Niger) vs. Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
M35 & 36: AS PSI (Chad) vs. US Monastir (Tunisia)
M37 & 38: Watanga FC (Liberia) vs. MC Alger (Algeria)
M39 & 40: Red Star (Central African Republic) vs. Djoliba de Bamako (Mali)
M41 & 42: CD Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) vs. Asko de Kara (Togo)
M43 & 44: Stade d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) vs. Teungueth FC (Senegal)
M45 & 46: Milo FC (Guinea) vs. FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
M47 & 48: Bo Rangers (Sierra Leone) vs. San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire)
M49 & 50: Libyan Club 2 vs. Al Hilal (Sudan)
M51 & 52: Libyan Club 1 vs. El Merreikh (Sudan)
M53 & 54: Remo Stars (Nigeria) vs. AS Far (Morocco)
With the stage set and teams ready, the new season of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League promises thrilling encounters and intense competition as clubs vie for the ultimate continental glory.
