2025–26 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds

2025–26 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds
Dates19 September – 26 October 2025
2026–27 →

The 2025–26 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds will begin on 19 September and end on 26 October 2025. 62 teams will compete in the qualifying rounds to decide the 16 places in the group stage of the 2025–26 CAF Champions League.

All times are local.

Draw

The draw for the qualifying rounds was held on 9 August 2025, 10:00 GMT (13:00 local time, UTC+3), in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.[1]

With 62 clubs registered to take part in the qualifying rounds, two clubs have received byes to the second round. The remaining sides have been placed in Pots depending on their CAF 5-year ranking and were drawn taking into account several factors, including geographical location.[2]

Entry round Second round
(2 teams) 		First round
(60 teams)
Teams Pot 1
(8 teams)		 Pot 2
(14 teams)
Pot 3
(16 teams)		 Pot 4
(4 teams)
Pot 5
(4 teams)		 Pot 6
(2 teams)
Pot 7
(4 teams)		 Unseeded teams
(8 teams)

Format

In the qualifying rounds, each tie will be played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score will be tied after the second leg, the away goals rule will be applied, and if still tied, extra time will not be played, and a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winner (Regulations III. 13 & 14).

Schedule

The schedule of the competition will be as follows.

Schedule for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League qualifying rounds
Round Draw date First leg Second leg
First round 9 August 2025 19–21 September 2025 26–28 September 2025
Second round 17–19 October 2025 24–26 October 2025

Bracket

The bracket of the draw was announced by the CAF on 9 August 2025.[3]

The 16 winners of the second round will advance to the group stage.

First round Second round
          
1 Burundi Aigle Noir
4 Djibouti ASAS Djibouti Télécom
FR1 winner
Egypt Al Ahly
First round Second round
          
1 Ethiopia Ethiopian Insurance
4 Zanzibar Mlandege
FR2 winner
FR3 winner
3 Rwanda APR
2 Egypt Pyramids
First round Second round
          
1 Somalia Mogadishu City
4 Kenya Kenya Police
FR4 winner
FR5 winner
3 South Sudan Jamus
2 Sudan Al Hilal
First round Second round
          
1 Burkina Faso Rahimo
4 Gabon Mangasport
FR6 winner
FR7 winner
3 Niger AS FAN
2 Tunisia Espérance de Tunis
First round Second round
          
1 Benin Dadjè
4 Libya Al Ahli Tripoli
FR8 winner
FR9 winner
3 Togo ASC Kara
2 Morocco RS Berkane
First round Second round
          
1 Sierra Leone East End Lions
4 Tunisia US Monastir
FR10 winner
FR11 winner
3 Ghana Bibiani Gold Stars
2 Algeria JS Kabylie
First round Second round
          
1 Equatorial Guinea Fundación Bata
4 Mauritania FC Nouadhibou
FR12 winner
FR13 winner
3 Central African Republic AS Tempête
2 Mali Stade Malien
First round Second round
          
1 Libya Al Hilal Benghazi
4 Guinea Horoya
FR14 winner
FR15 winner
3 The Gambia Real de Banjul
2 Morocco AS FAR
First round Second round
          
1 Cameroon Colombe Sportive
4 Senegal ASC Jaraaf
FR16 winner
FR17 winner
3 Liberia Fassell
2 Algeria MC Alger
First round Second round
          
1 Nigeria Remo Stars
4 Comoros US Zilimadjou
FR18 winner
South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns
First round Second round
          
1 Zimbabwe Simba Bhora
4 Eswatini Nsingizini Hotspurs
FR19 winner
FR20 winner
3 Botswana Gaborone United
2 Tanzania Simba
First round Second round
          
1 Madagascar Elgeco Plus
4 Malawi Silver Strikers
FR21 winner
FR22 winner
3 Angola Wiliete
2 Tanzania Young Africans
First round Second round
          
1 Seychelles Côte d'Or
4 Ivory Coast Stade d'Abidjan
FR23 winner
FR24 winner
3 Mauritius Cercle de Joachim
2 Angola Petro de Luanda
First round Second round
          
1 Republic of the Congo AC Léopards
4 Mozambique Black Bulls
FR25 winner
FR26 winner
3 Democratic Republic of the Congo DR Congo 1
2 Nigeria Rivers United
First round Second round
          
1 Namibia African Stars
4 Uganda Vipers
FR27 winner
FR28 winner
3 Zambia Power Dynamos
2 Ivory Coast ASEC Mimosas
First round Second round
          
1 Democratic Republic of the Congo DR Congo 2
4 Sudan Al Merrikh
FR29 winner
FR30 winner
3 Lesotho Lioli
2 South Africa Orlando Pirates

First round

The first round, also called the first preliminary round, will include the 60 teams that did not receive byes to the second round.

Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Aigle Noir BurundiFR1Djibouti ASAS Djibouti Télécom19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Ethiopian Insurance EthiopiaFR2Zanzibar Mlandege19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
APR RwandaFR3Egypt Pyramids19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Mogadishu City SomaliaFR4Kenya Kenya Police19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Jamus South SudanFR5Sudan Al Hilal19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Rahimo Burkina FasoFR6Gabon Mangasport19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
AS FAN NigerFR7Tunisia Espérance de Tunis19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Dadjè BeninFR8Libya Al Ahli Tripoli19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
ASC Kara TogoFR9Morocco RS Berkane19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
East End Lions Sierra LeoneFR10Tunisia US Monastir19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Bibiani Gold Stars GhanaFR11Algeria JS Kabylie19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Fundación Bata Equatorial GuineaFR12Mauritania FC Nouadhibou19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
AS Tempête Central African RepublicFR13Mali Stade Malien19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Al Hilal Benghazi LibyaFR14Guinea Horoya19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Real de Banjul The GambiaFR15Morocco AS FAR19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Colombe Sportive CameroonFR16Senegal ASC Jaraaf19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Fassell LiberiaFR17Algeria MC Alger19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Remo Stars NigeriaFR18Comoros US Zilimadjou19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Simba Bhora ZimbabweFR19Eswatini Nsingizini Hotspurs19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Gaborone United BotswanaFR20Tanzania Simba19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Elgeco Plus MadagascarFR21Malawi Silver Strikers19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Wiliete AngolaFR22Tanzania Young Africans19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Côte d'Or SeychellesFR23Ivory Coast Stade d'Abidjan19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Cercle de Joachim MauritiusFR24Angola Petro de Luanda19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
AC Léopards Republic of the CongoFR25Mozambique Black Bulls19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
DR Congo 1 Democratic Republic of the CongoFR26Nigeria Rivers United19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
African Stars NamibiaFR27Uganda Vipers19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Power Dynamos ZambiaFR28Ivory Coast ASEC Mimosas19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
DR Congo 2 Democratic Republic of the CongoFR29Sudan Al Merrikh19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Lioli LesothoFR30South Africa Orlando Pirates19–21 Sep26–28 Sep
Aigle Noir BurundivDjibouti ASAS Djibouti Télécom
Report
ASAS Djibouti Télécom DjiboutivBurundi Aigle Noir
Report
Ethiopian Insurance EthiopiavZanzibar Mlandege
Report
Mlandege ZanzibarvEthiopia Ethiopian Insurance
APR RwandavEgypt Pyramids
Report
Pyramids EgyptvRwanda APR
Report
Mogadishu City SomaliavKenya Kenya Police
Report
Kenya Police KenyavSomalia Mogadishu City
Report
Jamus South SudanvSudan Al Hilal
Report
Al Hilal SudanvSouth Sudan Jamus
Report
Rahimo Burkina FasovGabon Mangasport
Report
Mangasport GabonvBurkina Faso Rahimo
Report
AS FAN NigervTunisia Espérance de Tunis
Report
Espérance de Tunis TunisiavNiger AS FAN
Report
Dadjè BeninvLibya Al Ahli Tripoli
Al Ahli Tripoli LibyavBenin Dadjè
ASC Kara TogovMorocco RS Berkane
Report
RS Berkane MoroccovTogo ASC Kara
Report
East End Lions Sierra LeonevTunisia US Monastir
Report
US Monastir TunisiavSierra Leone East End Lions
Report
Bibiani Gold Stars GhanavAlgeria JS Kabylie
Report
JS Kabylie AlgeriavGhana Bibiani Gold Stars
Report
Fundación Bata Equatorial GuineavMauritania FC Nouadhibou
Report
FC Nouadhibou MauritaniavEquatorial Guinea Fundación Bata
AS Tempête Central African RepublicvMali Stade Malien
Report
Stade Malien MalivCentral African Republic AS Tempête
Al Hilal Benghazi LibyavGuinea Horoya
Horoya GuineavLibya Al Hilal Benghazi
Real de Banjul The GambiavMorocco AS FAR
Report
AS FAR MoroccovThe Gambia Real de Banjul
Report
Colombe Sportive CameroonvSenegal ASC Jaraaf
Report
ASC Jaraaf SenegalvCameroon Colombe Sportive
Report
Fassell LiberiavAlgeria MC Alger
Report
MC Alger AlgeriavLiberia Fassell
Report
Remo Stars NigeriavComoros US Zilimadjou
Report
US Zilimadjou ComorosvNigeria Remo Stars
Report
Stade Moroni Malouzini, Moroni
Simba Bhora ZimbabwevEswatini Nsingizini Hotspurs
Report
Nsingizini Hotspurs EswatinivZimbabwe Simba Bhora
Report
Gaborone United BotswanavTanzania Simba
Report
Simba TanzaniavBotswana Gaborone United
Report
Silver Strikers MalawivMadagascar Elgeco Plus
Report
Wiliete AngolavTanzania Young Africans
Report
Young Africans TanzaniavAngola Wiliete
Report
Côte d'Or SeychellesvIvory Coast Stade d'Abidjan
Report
Stade d'Abidjan Ivory CoastvSeychelles Côte d'Or
Cercle de Joachim MauritiusvAngola Petro de Luanda
Report
Cote d'Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre
Petro de Luanda AngolavMauritius Cercle de Joachim
Report
AC Léopards Republic of the CongovMozambique Black Bulls
Report
Black Bulls MozambiquevRepublic of the Congo AC Léopards
Report
DR Congo 1 Democratic Republic of the CongovNigeria Rivers United
Rivers United NigeriavDemocratic Republic of the Congo DR Congo 1
African Stars NamibiavUganda Vipers
Report
Vipers UgandavNamibia African Stars
Report
Power Dynamos ZambiavIvory Coast ASEC Mimosas
Report
ASEC Mimosas Ivory CoastvZambia Power Dynamos
Report
DR Congo 2 Democratic Republic of the CongovSudan Al Merrikh
Al Merrikh SudanvDemocratic Republic of the Congo DR Congo 2
Lioli LesothovSouth Africa Orlando Pirates
Report
Orlando Pirates South AfricavLesotho Lioli
Report

Second round

The second round, also called the second preliminary round, will include 32 teams: the 2 teams that received byes to this round, and the 30 winners of the first round.

Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
FR1 winnerSR1Egypt Al Ahly17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR2 winnerSR2FR3 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR4 winnerSR3FR5 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR6 winnerSR4FR7 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR8 winnerSR5FR9 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR10 winnerSR6FR11 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR12 winnerSR7FR13 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR14 winnerSR8FR15 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR16 winnerSR9FR17 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR18 winnerSR10South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR19 winnerSR11FR20 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR21 winnerSR12FR22 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR23 winnerSR13FR24 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR25 winnerSR14FR26 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR27 winnerSR15FR28 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR29 winnerSR16FR30 winner17–19 Oct24–26 Oct
FR1 winner vEgypt Al Ahly
Al Ahly Egyptv FR1 winner
FR2 winner v FR3 winner
FR3 winner v FR2 winner
FR4 winner v FR5 winner
FR5 winner v FR4 winner
FR6 winner v FR7 winner
FR7 winner v FR6 winner
FR8 winner v FR9 winner
FR9 winner v FR8 winner
FR10 winner v FR11 winner
FR11 winner v FR10 winner
FR12 winner v FR13 winner
FR13 winner v FR12 winner
FR14 winner v FR15 winner
FR15 winner v FR14 winner
FR16 winner v FR17 winner
FR17 winner v FR16 winner
FR18 winner vSouth Africa Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns South Africav FR18 winner
FR19 winner v FR20 winner
FR20 winner v FR19 winner
FR21 winner v FR22 winner
FR22 winner v FR21 winner
FR23 winner v FR24 winner
FR24 winner v FR23 winner
FR25 winner v FR26 winner
FR26 winner v FR25 winner
FR27 winner v FR28 winner
FR28 winner v FR27 winner
FR29 winner v FR30 winner
FR30 winner v FR29 winner

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Libyan teams were listed as Libya 1 and Libya 2 during the draw; as their identity was still unknown by the time of the draw.
  2. ^ a b Congolese teams were listed as DR Congo 1 and DR Congo 2 during the draw; as their identity was still unknown by the time of the draw.

References

  1. ^ "CAF to stage the TotalEnergies CAF Interclub Preliminary Draw in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday". Confederation of African Football. 5 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Draw procedure and Pots for the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Preliminary rounds announced". Confederation of African Football. 8 August 2025.
  3. ^ "TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26 Preliminary Round Draw serves up high-stakes clashes". Confederation of African Football. 9 August 2025.
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