The Second Preliminary Round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2026/27 will begin this weekend, with 32 clubs battling for 16 places in the group stage.

Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, former winners Espérance Sportive de Tunis, TP Mazembe and Orlando Pirates are among the teams hoping to take another step towards winning Africa’s top club competition.

Mamelodi Sundowns will begin their title defence with an away game against Angola’s Wiliete. The Angolan side showed their attacking strength by beating Seychelles’ Foresters FC 5-0 on aggregate in the first round.

Four-time champions Espérance will travel to Libya to face Al-Swehly, while Egypt’s Pyramids FC take on South Sudan’s El Merriekh Bentiu after an impressive first-round performance.

One of the biggest games of the round will take place in Lubumbashi, where five-time African champions TP Mazembe host Tunisia’s Club Africain.

Both teams will be looking to gain an advantage before the return leg in Tunisia as they battle for a place in the group stage.

South Africa’s Orlando Pirates will face African Stars, while Morocco’s RS Berkane, who received a bye into this round, will begin their campaign away against Sierra Leone’s Star Sport Academy.

Egyptian giants Zamalek face an away test against Rwanda’s APR FC, who made an impressive comeback in the previous round.

Zamalek reached this stage with a 6-1 aggregate win over Djibouti’s AS Port and will hope to maintain that form.

Tanzania’s Young Africans will travel to Madagascar to face CFFA, while Simba SC host Equatorial Guinea’s 15 de Agosto.

In other matches, Nigeria’s Rangers International host Algeria’s MC Alger. Morocco’s Maghreb Fès will welcome Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas, while San Pedro take on Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou.

Guinea’s Horoya AC will face Sudanese giants Al-Merriekh after beating Algeria’s JS Saoura in the previous round. Ethiopia’s Sidama Bunna will meet Sudan’s Al Hilal Omdurman.

Zimbabwe’s Scottland FC host Angola’s Petro Atlético, while Senegal’s Teungueth FC face Cameroon’s Colombe Sportive.

The first-leg matches will be played from October 16 to 18, with the return games scheduled for October 23 to 25. The 16 teams that progress will secure places in the group stage.

With some of Africa’s biggest clubs facing teams eager to make their mark, the first legs are expected to produce closely fought matches across the continent.

CAF will also provide USD 100,000 to clubs eliminated in the preliminary rounds to help cover travel and other logistical costs. The support is part of its efforts to assist clubs taking part in its interclub competitions.

TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2026/27: Second preliminary round fixtures

Friday, October 16

El Merriekh Bentiu (South Sudan) vs Pyramids FC (Egypt)

APR FC (Rwanda) vs Zamalek (Egypt)

Star Sport Academy (Sierra Leone) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)

Saturday, October 17

CFFA (Madagascar) vs Young Africans (Tanzania)

African Stars (Namibia) vs Orlando Pirates (South Africa)

TP Mazembe (DR Congo) vs Club Africain (Tunisia)

15 de Agosto (Equatorial Guinea) vs Simba SC (Tanzania)

San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire) vs FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)

Sunday, October 18

Rangers International (Nigeria) vs MC Alger (Algeria)

Scottland FC (Zimbabwe) vs Petro Atlético (Angola)

Sidama Bunna (Ethiopia) vs Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan)

Wiliete (Angola) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Horoya AC (Guinea) vs Al-Merriekh (Sudan)

Al-Swehly (Libya) vs Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)

Teungueth FC (Senegal) vs Colombe Sportive (Cameroon)

Maghreb Fès (Morocco) vs ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire)