Kotoko, Gold Stars Await CAF Interclub Preliminary Round Draw in Tanzania Today

By Emmanuel Austin Baah On Aug 9, 2025

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.

Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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