- Al-Ahli Wad Madani will host Tusker FC in the first leg of the 2026 CAF Confederation Cup first preliminary round.
- The match will be played on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Kigali Pelé Stadium in Rwanda.
- Kick-off is set for 5pm EAT.
Tusker FC kick off their 2026 CAF Confederation Cup campaign on Sunday when they take on Sudanese side Al Ahli Madani in the first preliminary round, first leg at Kigali Pele Stadium in Rwanda.
The Brewers return to continental action after securing the Football Kenya Federation Cup last season, beating Kenya Police FC 2-1 in the final.
Their opponents, Al Ahli Madani, booked their place in the competition after edging Al Hilal ESC (Al-Fasher) 3-1 in the Sudan Cup final.
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For Tusker, however, this is more than just another continental assignment. There is a long unfinished business in the competition, and the Brewers will be keen to make a strong start.
They are no strangers to the Confederation Cup, having famously reached the final in 1994.
Tusker fought to a brilliant 2-2 draw away in Kinshasa against DC Motema Pembe, but their hopes of lifting the trophy were shattered in Nairobi after a 3-0 defeat in the return leg, leaving them African runners-up.
The Julian Mette-led side are now making their return after a four-year absence, with their last appearance coming in 2021.
On that occasion, Tusker dropped into the Confederation Cup after suffering a heavy 5-0 aggregate defeat to Egypt’s Zamalek SC in the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
Under the continental regulations at the time, teams eliminated at that stage were handed a “second life” and automatically moved into the Confederation Cup’s additional playoff round.
The Brewers were therefore drawn against Tunisian giants CS Sfaxien.
After holding the North Africans to a promising 0–0 draw in the first leg at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Tusker’s campaign came to an abrupt end in the return fixture in Tunis.
A conceded penalty proved costly as they went down 1–0, bringing their hopes of reaching the lucrative group stage to an end.
Now, making what will be their seventh appearance in the Confed Cup since their debut in 1976, Tusker have another opportunity to prove their continental pedigree.
Mette believes his side have the tools to deal with whatever challenge comes their way, insisting they will remain focused on their own principles rather than worrying too much about their opponents.
“80% of the day is based on the game plan and our principles. Mainly, we correct our mistakes and look at how we can improve our wins, so the opponent’s style of play and the interface is maximum at 20 or 25% of the game.
So we are not that worried about the opponent because we are building our style of play so we can be able to counter any problem on the pitch,” Mette said before the team jetted off to Rwanda.
Al-Ahli SC Wad Madani head into the encounter hoping to begin their own continental story under newly appointed Nigerian Aliyu Zubairu.
This will mark their fourth appearance in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Sudan Cup winners have had to navigate significant domestic disruptions, but they have used the past few weeks to sharpen their tactical approach during a rigorous training camp in Kigali.
What time will Al Ahli Wad Madani vs Tusker kick off?
Due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Al-Ahli Wad Madani’s first-leg “home” fixture will be played at Kigali Pele Stadium in Rwanda on Sunday, 6 September 2026.
Kick-off is scheduled for 5pm East Africa Time.
Al Ahli Wad Madani vs Tusker team news – CAF Confederation Cup
Tusker strengthened their squad during the off-season, bringing in a mix of new and experienced players as they prepare for another demanding domestic and continental campaign.
Among the new arrivals is Nigerian striker Victor Mbaoma, who finished last season as the Nigerian league’s top scorer with 14 goals. He also has previous experience in Rwanda, where he won the Golden Boot.
The SportPesa League side also managed to retain two important players, Fabian Adikiny and Ian Simiyu, after extending their contracts until 2028.
Adikiny featured in 37 matches last season, while Simiyu scored eight goals during his first full campaign with Tusker. He is expected to shoulder a significant part of the goalscoring responsibility this season.
At the back, Aboud Omar will also be an important figure as the Brewers look to keep things tight and start their continental journey on the front foot.
For Al Ahli, coach Aliyu Zubairu has a largely fit squad at his disposal following their final warm-up match against Rayon Sports FC.
Al Ahli Wad Madani vs Tusker head-to-head and current form
Sunday’s encounter will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
Tusker head into the tie with plenty of early-season confidence after beating Gor Mahia 3–1 to lift the FKF Super Cup just days ago.
Al Ahli Madani, meanwhile, have also been keeping busy with a series of friendly matches as they build up to the continental test.
With both teams preparing for what could be a closely fought encounter, the opening leg in Kigali will be crucial in setting the tone for the return match.
The second leg will be played on Saturday, 12 September 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya.
The aggregate winner will advance to the second preliminary round where they will face either Al-Ghazala SC Wau of South Sudan or Singida Black Stars of Tanzania.