The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Saturday conducted the draw for the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Afrosport reports.
A record 60 teams will feature at this stage of the competition, drawn into 30 fixtures with each tie played over two legs. The aggregate winners will progress to the next round, where they will be joined by Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns – the two top-ranked sides in CAF’s latest club rankings.
Nigeria’s representatives – Remo Stars and Rivers United – discovered their opponents during the draw, held at the Azam Media Studios and broadcast live on CAF’s YouTube channel and partner networks across Africa and beyond.
Remo Stars, Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, will face US Zilimadjou of Comoros in the first preliminary round, with the first leg to be played at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne. The winner will set up a second-round clash with South African giants Sundowns.
Rivers United, meanwhile, will take on the champions of Linafoot, DR Congo’s top-tier league. They will travel to DR Congo for the first leg before hosting the return fixture at home.
The winners will face either AC Leopards of Congo or Black Bulls of Mozambique in the second preliminary round.
Pyramids are defending champions of the competition, following a 3-2 aggregate win over Mamelodi Sundown in a two-legged final in May.
The road to the CAF Champions League group stage will begin with the first preliminary round slated to take place between 19–21 September and 26–28 September 2025. The winners over two legs will head to the second preliminary round, scheduled for 17–19 October and 24–26 October.
The victors will advance to the group stage, which kicks off on 21 November, while the knockout phase of the 2025-26 Champions League will commence on 13 March 2026.
Full list of fixtures for CAF Champions League preliminary round
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Ethiopian Insurance (Ethiopia) vs Mlandege (Zanzibar)
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APR FC (Rwanda) vs Pyramids FC (Egypt)
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Mogadishu City (Somalia) vs Kenya Police (Kenya)
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Jamus FC (South Sudan) vs Al Hilal (Sudan)
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Rahimo FC (Burkina Faso) vs Mangasport (Gabon)
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AS FAN (Niger) vs Esperance (Tunisia)
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Dadje FC (Benin) vs Libya 1 (Libya)
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ASCK (Togo) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)
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East End Lions (Sierra Leone) vs US Monastir (Tunisia)
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Goldstars (Ghana) vs JS Kabylie (Algeria)
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Fundacion Bata (Equatorial Guinea) vs Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
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AS Tempete (Central African Republic) vs Stade Malien (Mali)
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Libya 2 (Libya) vs Horoya AC (Guinea)
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DR Congo 2 (DR Congo) vs Al Merriekh (Sudan)
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Colombe Sportive (Cameroon) vs ASC Jaraaf (Senegal)
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FC Fassell (Liberia) vs MC Alger (Algeria)
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Remo Stars (Nigeria) vs Zilimadjou (Comoros)
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Simba Bhora (Zimbabwe) vs Nsingizini Hotspurs (Eswatini)
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Gaborone United (Botswana) vs Simba SC (Tanzania)
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Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) vs Silver Strikers (Malawi)
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Wiliete Benguela (Angola) vs Yanga (Tanzania)
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Cote d’Or (Seychelles) vs Stade d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
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Cercle Joachim (Mauritius) vs Petro Atletico (Angola)
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AC Leopards (Republic of the Congo) vs Black Bulls (Mozambique)
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DR Congo 1 (DR Congo) vs Rivers United (Nigeria)
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African Stars (Namibia) vs Vipers SC (Uganda)
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Power Dynamos (Zambia) vs ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
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Lioli FC (Lesotho) vs Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
