CAF Grants Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns Byes Ahead of Continental Campaigns
The routes to the 2026/27 CAF inter-club competitions will become clearer today as the preliminary round draws for both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup take place.
Two South African giants, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, have received byes and will begin their respective continental campaigns from the second preliminary round.
Kaizer Chiefs have been exempted from the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, meaning they will automatically advance to the second stage without playing an opening fixture. The Soweto-based club will now have additional time to prepare for their return to continental football.
In the CAF Champions League, Mamelodi Sundowns have also been granted a bye, allowing the Pretoria outfit to skip the opening round and enter the competition in the second preliminary round.
Receiving a bye gives clubs an advantage by reducing the number of matches they need to play while providing extra preparation time ahead of their African campaigns.
Meanwhile, CAF has confirmed the club levels for the 2026/27 CAF Champions League preliminary draw, with participating teams divided into five levels based on rankings and geographical considerations.
CAF Champions League Preliminary Draw Club Levels
Level 1 – Top three ranked clubs (Exempted):
Mamelodi Sundowns 🇿🇦
ES Tunis 🇹🇳
RS Berkane 🇲🇦
Level 2 – 10 highest-ranked clubs:
Atletico Petróleos 🇦🇴
Orlando Pirates 🇿🇦
Simba SC 🇹🇿
Young Africans 🇹🇿
Zamalek SC 🇪🇬
Pyramids FC 🇪🇬
Al Hilal 🇸🇩
ASEC Mimosas 🇨🇮
Stade Malien 🇲🇱
MC Alger 🇩🇿
Level 3 – Ranked clubs:
TP Mazembe 🇨🇩
Rivers United 🇳🇬
Power Dynamos 🇿🇲
Djoliba AC 🇲🇱
FC Nouadhibou 🇲🇷
Horoya AC 🇬🇳
Level 4 – Lowest-ranked clubs:
Al Merreikh SC 🇸🇩
Medeama SC 🇬🇭
Club Africain 🇹🇳
FC San Pedro 🇨🇮
Vipers SC 🇺🇬
JS Saoura 🇩🇿
Level 5 – Non-ranked clubs: This group includes 36 clubs from across Africa, including African Stars FC of Namibia, who will discover their possible opponents in the preliminary draw.
Other clubs in this level include Wiliete SC 🇦🇴, Gaborone United 🇧🇼, Gor Mahia 🇰🇪, APR FC 🇷🇼, Rangers International FC 🇳🇬, Teungueth FC 🇸🇳 and several others.
The draw will determine the opening-round pairings and the possible routes clubs must follow as they compete for a place in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup group stages.
