CAF Champions League
Downloadable full fixtures of CAF Champions League 2025/26 available as Draw serves up high-stakes clashes
Click HERE for the full list of fixtures.
The race for African club football’s most prestigious crown has officially kicked off following the draw for the Preliminary and Second Preliminary Rounds of the CAF Champions League 2025/26, held at Azam Media Studios in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday.
A record 62 clubs from across the continent will feature in this season’s campaign, underscoring the competition’s growing appeal.
Record title winners Al Ahly of Egypt and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, both top-ranked sides, have been handed byes into the Second Preliminary Round where defending champions Pyramids FC of Egypt will face Rwanda’s APR.
The draw also delivered several tantalising fixtures in the early stages.
North African powerhouses could collide early as Sierra Leone’s East End Lions will face Tunisia’s US Monastirienne, with the winners earning a shot at the winners of the clash between Ghana’s Bibiani Gold Stars and Algerian giants JS Kabylie.
Liberia’s FC Fassell will look to overcome Senegal’s ASC Jaraaf for a potential meeting with Algeria’s MC Alger, while Benin’s Dadjè FC and Libya’s representative, Libya 1, clash for the chance to face Togo’s ASCK or Morocco’s RS Berkane.
Elsewhere, Nigeria’s Remo Stars meet Comoros’ US Zilimadjou for the right to play Sundowns, while Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora tackle Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs in a tie that leads to a showdown with Botswana’s Gaborone United — and ultimately Tanzania’s Simba SC in the next round.
Zambia’s Power Dynamos begin against Ivorian heavyweights ASEC Mimosas with the winner of the match between Namibia’s African Stars and Vipers FC of Uganda waiting in the wings.
Rahimo FC of Burkina Faso will face Gabon’s AS Mangasport with the winners taking on the victor in Niger’s Forces Armées meeting Tunisian giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST).
Teams that exit in the first two rounds will this season receive USD 100,000 to cover their logistical costs as CAF seeks to encourage more clubs to take part, which is reflected in the record number of teams registered for the 2025/26 season.
The Preliminary Round kicks off with first-leg matches between 19–21 September 2025 and second-leg matches between 26–28 September 2025. The Second Preliminary Round follows from 17–19 October (first leg) and 24–26 October (second leg).
The Group Stage begins on 21 November 2025, with the knockout phase set to start on 13 March 2026.
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CAF Champions League
Brazil’s Ribeiro Costa Gone, Rivalry Renewed: Mamelodi Sundowns Reshape Squad Before Remo Stars Showdown
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Mamelodi’s talismanic Brazilian player, Lucas Ribeiro Costa has made a sudden departure from the club which is well known for its Brazil-styled football attire. The departure of the player has forced a tactical reset at Sundowns ahead of the CAF Champions League second round clash with Remo Stars.
On the other hand, Nigeria’s champions, Remo Stars, are bracing up for a titanic CAF Champions League second-round showdown against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa — a fixture that not only promises fireworks on the pitch but also rekindles one of African football’s most intense rivalries.
The first leg of the tie will take place in Abeokuta, the temporary home ground of Remo Stars with the return fixture scheduled for South Africa.
Sundowns, are continental heavyweights — former African champions and perennial campaigners known for their fluid attacking football.
However, the South Africans will enter this contest amid tactical reshuffling following the shock departure of Ribeiro, their Brazilian talisman and last season’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) Footballer of the Year.
New coach Miguel Cardoso has acknowledged the impact of Ribeiro’s exit but insists the Tshwane-based side are evolving into a more unified team rather than relying on individual brilliance.
“No player will replace Lucas because that’s not what we are looking for,” Cardoso told reporters after Sundowns’ first league loss of the season.
“We are looking to reinforce the team and make it completely different. Ribeiro was unique, but now we must play more as a collective.”
Cardoso revealed that Sundowns have recruited Portuguese playmaker Nuno Santos from Vitória Guimarães and are closing in on another Portuguese midfielder, Miguel Reisinho, to enhance their creative options.
Despite this transition phase, the South African champions remain formidable, boasting one of the continent’s most technically balanced squads. Their clash with Nigeria’s Remo Stars — debutants in this elite stage — offers a fascinating contrast between experience and ambition.
Beyond the football itself, the fixture taps into a storied Nigeria–South Africa rivalry that has shaped African football narratives for decades — from national team duels at the Africa Cup of Nations to club-level battles in CAF competitions.
Matches between sides from both nations have often been fierce, emotionally charged, and symbolic of continental supremacy.
For Remo Stars, this encounter represents both a massive test and an opportunity to make a statement.
The Ikenne-based side, known for their youthful energy and tactical discipline, will aim to upset the odds against one of Africa’s richest and most accomplished clubs.
Their head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, is expected to lean on the attacking prowess of Adams Olamilekan and the creativity of Ebuka Anthony to breach Sundowns’ disciplined defence.
With pride, prestige, and progression on the line, all eyes will be on the two legs of this Nigeria–South Africa contest — a battle that goes beyond footballing tactics to touch the nerve of a continental rivalry steeped in passion and history.
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Rivers United have advanced to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after defeating Les Aigles of the Democratic Republic of Congo 1–0 in the return leg on Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
Following a goalless stalemate in the first leg in Kinshasa, the Nigerian side sealed progression on a 1–0 aggregate scoreline, thanks to a first-half strike that proved decisive in a tightly contested encounter.
The win sends Rivers United into the second preliminary round, where they will face the winner of the tie between AC Léopards of Congo and Black Bulls of Mozambique.
With this result, Rivers United join Remo Stars in the second round of the CAF Champions League.
The next round is scheduled to hold between October 17 and 26, while the group stage kicks off in November
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Remo Stars have sealed their passage into the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after edging Comoros’ US Zilimadjou 1–0 in Abeokuta on Friday, completing an emphatic 5–0 aggregate victory.
Forward Alex Oyowah struck the decisive goal in the 74th minute, calmly converting from the penalty spot to settle the return leg at the MKO Abiola International Stadium.
With a four-goal cushion from the first leg in – courtesy of strikes from Lamine Ndenge, Ebuka Anthony, Adams Goïta and Seun Olasupo – coach Daniel Ogunmodede’s side approached the second leg tie with composure and tactical discipline.
Despite Zilimadjou’s spirited attempt to salvage pride, Remo Stars’ organisation off the ball ensured the visitors rarely threatened.
The Sky Blue Stars grew in confidence as the game wore on, controlling possession and protecting their clean sheet before Oyowah’s late strike put the result beyond doubt.
The Nigerian side will now brace for a tougher test in October when they meet South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in what promises to be one of the glamour fixtures of the next round.
Other return-leg fixtures across the continent are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, with the full line-up for the second preliminary round to be confirmed thereafter.
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