The preliminary round draw for the 2025/26 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup will take place today, 9 August 2025, in Tanzania, signalling the start of Africa’s premier club competitions.
Ghana will be represented by Asante Kotoko in the CAF Confederation Cup and Bibiani Gold Stars in the CAF Champions League. Both clubs will discover their preliminary round opponents later today.
Meanwhile, CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe has announced a substantial increase in financial support for participating clubs in the preliminary rounds, doubling the allocation from USD 50,000 to USD 100,000.
The draw marks the beginning of an ambitious continental campaign for both sides. Kotoko will be aiming for a return to the group stage for the first time since 2019, while Gold Stars will make their debut on the African stage following their Ghana Premier League triumph last season.
The journey begins with the preliminary round, played over two legs on the weekends of 19–21 September and 26–28 September 2025. Victors will progress to the second preliminary round on 17–19 October, with return fixtures scheduled for 24–26 October.
The successful teams will secure a place in the group stage, commencing on 21 November 2025. From there, the continent’s elite will battle through to the knockout phase, starting on 13 March 2026, with the ultimate goal of lifting African football’s most prestigious club trophies.
Today’s draw will be conducted at 13:00 local time (10:00 GMT) at the Azam Media Studios in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
