Sudan’s Al Hilal SC have been drawn against Burundi Premier League champions Aigle Noir CS in the first preliminary round of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

The draw was conducted on Friday in Cairo, Egypt.

The 2025/2026 quarter finalists Al Hilal SC will play the first leg in Burundi between September 4-6^th, and later hosts their return leg in Kigali between September 11-13^th.

Incase they go past the first hurdle, Sudan’s Al Hilal SC will then face the winner between Aigloms FC N’Djamena (Chad) and Sidaama Buna FC (Ethiopia).

“The CECAFA Kagame Cup has given us good preparations ahead of the CAF Champions League,” says Al Hilal SC head coach Guy Bukasa Misakabu.

South Sudan Premier League champions El Merriekh SC Bentiu will also make a return to the competition when they face Heegan SC (Somalia), while Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) take on Pyramids FC (Egypt) in the first preliminary round.

Uganda’s Vipers SC will take on Mauritania’s giants FC Nouadhibou, APR FC (Rwanda) face Les Aigles Du Congo, while Young Africans SC (tanzania) play Botswana’s Gaborone Utd FC.

The three highest-ranked clubs earned a bye through the first preliminary round: South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance and Renaissance Berkane.

The second preliminary round follows a similar pattern. First legs fall between 16 and 18 October, and the return matches take place from the 23rd to the 25th.

Fresh from taking part in the CECAFA Kagame Cup, Mogadishu City Club FC will face Kitara FC (Uganda) in the first preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.

The two teams were drawn together during the official draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday in Cairo, Egypt.

Mogadishu City Club who will host their matches in Nairobi, Kenya will play the first leg at home before traveling to Uganda. The first leg matches will take place September 4-6^th, while the return legs are slated for September 11-13^th.

The winner between the Ugandan team and Mogadishu City Club will face African giants Al Ahly SC in the second preliminary in October.

Sudan’s Al Hilal Alsahii and Walwalo Adigrat USC (Ethiopia) will also face off, with the winner facing the winner between KMKM SC (Zanzibar) and Al Ahly Tripoli in the second preliminary round.

Tanzania Premier League side who were exempted from the first preliminary round will face the winner between ZED FC (Egypt) and ASAS Djibouti Tel.

Rwanda’s Rayon Sport FC who are in the CECAFA Kagame Cup final on Friday will tussle it out with Pathere Sportive FC in the first round, while Burundi’s Rukinzo FC take on Durban City FC (South Africa) in the first preliminary round.

Two other matches involving teams from the CECAFA Zone will see Al Ahli Madani (Sudan) face Tusker FC (Kenya), while South Sudan’s Al-Ghazala SC battle Singida Black Stars FC (Tanzania).

The Second Preliminary Round will begin from October 16-18, before the decisive return legs are staged from October 23-25.

Kenya Premier League reigning champions Gor Mahia FC have qualified for the semi-final stage at the on-going CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026.

The 10-man Gor Mahia FC side edged Garde Republicaine FC (Djibouti) 1-0 in their last Group A match played on Thursday to seal their top spot after Vipers SC suffered a 2-1 defeat to APR FC.

Paul Okoth netted the lone goal for Gor Mahia FC after only 4 minutes. The Kenya side continued to dominate play at the Kigali Pele Stadium, but Garde Republicaine defended in numbers.

Gor Mahia FC’s Alpha Chris Onyango was later sent-off after 69 minutes. Charles Kwablan Akonnor, the Gor Mahia coach praised his players for getting the job done and qualifying for the knock out stage of the tournament.

“We have managed two wins against APR FC and Garde Republicaine and lost to Vipers SC. But besides this being a good pre-season for us, we have also achieved one o the targets which is getting to the later stages of the tournament,” added Akonnor.

While Gor Mahia FC who are chasing a fourth CECAFA Kagame Cup title finished top of Group A with 6 points and a goal difference of five goals, Vipers SC who have the same number of points and a goal difference of three goals will have to wait after all other matches are complete to determine if they make it to the semi-finals.

APR FC netted through Mamadou Traore and Djibril Quattara, while Gusto Mulongo scored for the Ugandan League giants Vipers SC.

Congolese defender Kevin Dasylva Bady was sent off later in the second half for Vipers SC. APR FC bowed out of the tournament despite finishing with 6 points and a lower goal diffrence.

Action continues on Friday with 2025 winners Singida Black Stars FC facing Simba SC in an all Tanzanian affair at the Amahoro Stadium, while Group B table leaders Jamus SC take on Mogadishu City Club at the Kigali Pele Stadium.

 Gor Mahia FC will now wait to face the top team in Group C, while the leading team in Group B will face the Best second placed team.

The winners will walk away with US$30,000, the runners-up US20,000, while the third placed team collects US$10,000.

Sudan’s Al Hilal SC and Rayon Sport FC have maintained a 100% winning run in Group C at the on-going CECAFA Kagame Cup.

Al Hilal who stopped Tusker FC 2-0 in their opening match, registered a 4-0 victory against Zanzibar champions KVZ FC in a match played at the Pele Kigali Stadium on Wednesday.

Skipper Abdelhman Mohamed Yousif gave Al Hilal the lead after only two minutes when he shot past KVZ FC goalkeeper Bashir Muslim Darwesh.

KVZ FC tried to play a highly defensive approach, but failed to contain the Sudan team. Ahmed M’bareck made it 2-0 for Al Hilal SC netting after 29 minutes.

Babe Diarra also had a shot for KVZ that missed by inches after 40 minutes. After recess substitutes Samura Ansumana and Akire Temple Taiwo also got their names on the score sheet.

Guy Bukasa Misakabu, the Al Hilal SC head coach said that he is impressed with the way his team attacked in numbers and managed to score four goals against a highly defensive side. “This is the pre-season and we are trying out several things,” added the Al Hilal coach.

In the second match home side Rayon Sport FC edged Tusker FC (Kenya) 1-0 with Atisso Kodjo scoring the lone goal. The group will be decided on August 1^st when Rayon Sport FC face table leaders Al Hilal SC.

On Thursday two Group A matches will be played. Table leaders Vipers SC (Uganda) will face APR FC (Rwanda), while Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) take on Garde Republicaine FC.