The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the dates and kick-off times for the preliminary rounds of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.

The new African inter-club season will officially get underway between September 4 and 6, 2026, with clubs across the continent set to begin their campaigns in the first-leg fixtures of the preliminary rounds.

The return legs have been scheduled for September 11 to 13, giving participating clubs only a few days to recover, travel and prepare for the decisive second-leg encounters.

The preliminary-round fixtures will determine the teams that advance to the next phase of Africa’s two leading men’s club competitions.

The second preliminary round is scheduled for October, while the group stages of both competitions are expected to commence in late November.

The group phase will run through January 2027 before the knockout rounds begin in February.

The quarter-finals are scheduled for February 26 to March 7, 2027, while the semi-finals are expected to take place between April 9 and 17.

The finals of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup have been provisionally scheduled within the May 9-31 window.

The release of the calendar provides clubs, national associations and other stakeholders with greater clarity as preparations intensify for the new continental season.

For Nigeria, attention will be focused on the country’s representatives, with Rangers International and Rivers United set to compete in the CAF Champions League, while Shooting Stars and the 2026 Federation Cup winners will represent the country in the Confederation Cup.

Rangers, the reigning Nigeria Premier Football League champions, and Rivers United will be hoping to make a strong impression in the Champions League, while Shooting Stars and Nigeria’s other Confederation Cup representative will seek to progress as far as possible in the second-tier continental competition.

The Nigerian clubs will first have to negotiate the preliminary rounds before turning their attention to the group stages and the prospect of a prolonged continental campaign.

With the first legs less than a month away, clubs across Africa are now entering the final stages of their preparations for what promises to be another demanding CAF inter-club season.

The 2026/27 campaign is expected to produce another intense battle for continental supremacy, with clubs fighting for the opportunity to lift Africa’s most coveted club trophies.