The first preliminary round of the 2026-27 African Champions League reaches its decisive stage this weekend, with a host of established clubs seeking to protect first-leg advantages and secure their places in the next round.
Second-leg matches are scheduled from Friday, with clubs including Pyramids FC, TP Mazembe, Simba SC, Al-Hilal of Sudan, Atletico Petro Luanda and Zamalek among those carrying leads into the return fixtures.
The message for the leading sides is clear: there can be no complacency.
Pyramids hold one of the strongest positions after beating Kenyan champions Gor Mahia 2-0 away in Nairobi. The Egyptian club will now look to complete the job and progress to the second preliminary round.
TP Mazembe also have an away victory to defend after the five-time African champions defeated Ghana’s Medeama 1-0 in Tarkwa. The Democratic Republic of Congo side will take that advantage back to Lubumbashi for the second leg.
Tanzanian giants Simba SC return home with the same 1-0 advantage after Anicet Ora’s second-half goal secured victory against Malawi’s Mighty Wanderers.
Zamalek among clubs protecting away wins
Zamalek, five-time African Champions League winners, also have an important advantage heading into their second-leg fixture.
The Egyptian side won 2-1 away against Djibouti’s AS Port and will now host the return match looking to finish the tie and book their place in the next preliminary round.
Al-Hilal of Sudan are in an even stronger position after their impressive 2-0 away victory over Burundi’s Aigle Noir.
Atletico Petro Luanda recorded a 1-0 away win against Mozambique’s UD Do Songo, while Senegalese club Tiyonghet secured the same scoreline against FC Canchungo of Guinea-Bissau.
Angolan club Wilite produced one of the biggest victories of the opening round, defeating Seychelles representatives Foresters FC 4-0. That result gives them a substantial cushion before the return fixture.
Moroccan champions Maghreb Fez also made an emphatic return to the competition after an absence of several years. They beat Burkina Faso’s Rahimo FC 4-1 and will enter the second leg with a significant advantage.
AS Mangasport of Gabon have a two-goal lead to protect after beating Namibia’s African Stars 3-1, while Madagascar’s Seva defeated Lesotho’s Legapatho 2-0.
Several ties remain finely balanced
Not every club can afford to approach the second leg with confidence.
Al-Merreikh Bentiu of South Sudan, Algeria’s JS Saoura and Libya’s Al-Suwaihli all hold narrow 1-0 advantages, leaving their respective ties vulnerable to a single goal in the return fixtures.
Eagle Congo also made history during the opening round of their CAF club competition campaign. The side defeated Rwandan Army Club 1-0, with Suzi Zimanga scoring what was described as the club’s first-ever continental goal.
One of the most intriguing ties involves newcomers La Cure Waves and South African giants Orlando Pirates.
The Mauritian champions earned a goalless draw against Orlando Pirates in what was their first appearance in the CAF Champions League. They now face a considerably tougher task in the return leg in South Africa, but the result from the opening match means they remain in contention.
Nigerian champions Nigellik also drew with Algeria’s Mouloudia, while Colombe Sportif played out a draw against Stade Malien.
Big clubs wait in the next round
The successful teams from these two-legged ties will advance to the second preliminary round, which is scheduled for mid-October.
There, they will face some of the highest-ranked clubs on the continent. Tunisia’s Esperance, Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns are among the major sides waiting for the teams that emerge from the opening preliminary round.
The first legs demonstrated how closely contested the competition can be. A total of 43 goals were scored across 28 matches played from last Friday to Sunday.
Those games produced 11 home victories, seven away wins and 10 draws, ensuring that a considerable number of qualification battles remain unresolved.
For the clubs holding advantages, the priority will be to avoid giving their opponents a route back into the ties. For those trailing, the second leg offers one final opportunity to overturn the deficit.
With most qualification places still separated by only 90 minutes of football, the matches from 11 to 13 September are set to determine which clubs continue their Champions League campaigns.
CAF will also provide clubs eliminated in the preliminary rounds with a financial grant of US$100,000. The funding is intended to assist with travel and other logistical costs and forms part of CAF’s continued investment in supporting clubs competing in continental competitions.
