The 2026/27 edition of the CAF Champions League gets underway this weekend as Mamelodi Sundowns enter the competition as the team to beat following their victory earlier this year.
The new campaign gets underway with the first preliminary-round ties from 4–6 September 2026, while the group stage is scheduled to begin in November.
The South African giants won the 2025/26 CAF Champions League, defeating Morocco’s AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate in a tightly contested final.
This was their second continental title after winning in 2016. They eliminated Stade Malien in the quarterfinals before beating four-time champions Espérance de Tunis 2-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
It will be interesting to see how Sundowns approach their title defense this season, with every team on the continent viewing them as the team to beat.
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Elsewhere, record Kenyan Premier League winners Gor Mahia will be making a return to the continental showpiece. They have been handed an uphill task against Pyramids FC, who are the 2025 CAF Champions League winners.
They will need to navigate a two-legged tie against a club with significantly greater recent continental experience. But playing the first leg at home gives Gor an opportunity to establish an advantage before travelling to Egypt.
How does the CAF Champions League work?
The tournament begins with a taxing qualifying phase before the competition reaches the traditional 16-team group stage.
First Preliminary Round
58 clubs will compete in the opening round, producing 29 two-legged ties.
The first legs are scheduled for 4–6 September, with the return legs taking place from 11–13 September.
The tournament begins with a substantial qualifying phase before the competition reaches the traditional 16-team group stage.
Second Preliminary Round
The 29 winners join the three clubs given byes — Mamelodi Sundowns, Espérance and RS Berkane — to form a 32-team second preliminary round.
That means 16 two-legged ties will determine which teams reach the group stage.
The first legs are scheduled for 16–18 October, with the return matches from 23–25 October.
Group Stage
The 16 successful teams are divided into four groups of four. Each club plays six matches — home and away against the other three teams.
The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals, giving us the traditional eight-team knockout stage.
Knockout rounds
From the quarter-finals onwards, the competition becomes a two-legged knockout tournament:
- Quarter-finals: 8 teams
- Semi-finals: 4 teams
- Final: 2 teams
CAF’s calendar places the group stage between November 2026 and January 2027, with the knockout stages following in 2027. The final will be played during the 9–31 May window.
Top 10 teams to look out for (title contenders)
- Mamelodi Sundowns & Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
- Esperance Sportiv de Tunis (Tunisia)
- Pyramids & Zamalek (Egypt)
- TP Mazembe (DRC)
- Simba SC & Yanga (Tanzania)
- RS Berkane (Morocco)
- Gor Mahia (Kenya)
Where is Al Ahly?
The Egyptian giants are the record holders with 12 Champions League titles, but they will not compete in the 2026/27 Champions League after finishing third in the Egyptian league.
Instead, Al Ahly have dropped into the CAF Confederation Cup.
Dark horses
South African league champions Orlando Pirates are a team that should be watched closely here. They halted Sundowns dominance to win the PSL and could bring a hearty challenge into this season’s competition.
TP Mazembe should also not be overlooked in the competition judging by their history. The Congolese giants are five-time African champions and have built one of the continent’s most formidable home records.
Top predictions: (semifinal stage)
With the new season of the Champions League, we can expect some of the usual heavyweights to continue their dominance in the competition.
Here are our predictions for the four teams that are favorites to make it to the semifinal stage.
Mamelodi Sundowns
Esperance Sportiv de Tunis
Pyramids
RS Berkane