Sixty-one clubs entered the 2026/27 CAF Champions League, and only 16 of them will reach the group stage. The route there runs through two rounds of home-and-away ties that began in early September, and the prize for lifting the trophy stood at $6 million in the latest structure CAF has published.
If you follow African club football even casually, the rounds, seeds and slot rules can feel like a maze. This guide covers how the CAF Champions League is set up, how clubs earn a place, and what each stage is worth.
Principais Pontos
- Sixty-one clubs entered the 2026/27 edition, and 16 of them reach the group stage after two preliminary rounds.
- The 12 highest-ranked associations on CAF’s five-year ranking can enter two clubs each, while every other association enters one.
- The group stage has four groups of four, six matchdays between 27 November 2026 and 24 January 2027, and the top two in each group reach the quarter-finals.
- The winner earns $6 million under the latest published structure, compared with $4 million in the CAF Confederation Cup.
What Is the CAF Champions League?
The CAF Champions League is the Confederation of African Football’s top club competition, and it sits at the peak of the continental club pyramid. You will also see it called the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, which is the sponsored name used in official CAF communications.
Each season, national league champions and, in the strongest associations, runners-up compete for the title over roughly nine months. The 2026/27 edition started in September 2026, and the final falls in a window between 9 and 31 May 2027, according to CAF’s published match calendar.
If you also follow Europe’s flagship club competition, the UEFA Champions League standings and fixtures are worth keeping open alongside this one.
CAF Champions League Format: From Preliminary Rounds to the Final
The competition has five phases: two preliminary rounds, a 16-club group stage, quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final. Every tie before the final is played over two legs, and the table below shows how the 2026/27 season is laid out.
| Fase | Clubs Involved | Formato | 2026/27 Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Preliminary Round | 58 clubs (29 ties) | Two legs | 4 to 6 September and 11 to 13 September 2026 |
| Second Preliminary Round | 32 clubs (16 ties) | Two legs | 16 to 18 October and 23 to 25 October 2026 |
| Fase de Grupos | 16 clubs | Four groups of four, six matchdays | 27 November 2026 to 24 January 2027 |
| Quartas de Final | 8 clubs | Two legs | 26 to 28 February and 5 to 7 March 2027 |
| Semifinais | 4 clubs | Two legs | 9 to 11 April and 16 to 18 April 2027 |
| Final | 2 clubs | Title decider | Window of 9 to 31 May 2027 |
1. The Preliminary Rounds
The first preliminary round pairs 58 clubs in 29 two-legged ties. The winners then meet three seeded clubs in the second preliminary round: Mamelodi Sundowns, Espérance de Tunis and RS Berkane, who skip the opening round because of their ranking.
That produces 16 ties, and the 16 winners move into the group stage. CAF’s draw procedure explainer sets out how clubs were seeded and why teams from the same country cannot meet at this point.
2. The Knockout Rounds
Eight clubs reach the quarter-finals, four survive to the semi-finals, and two contest the final. The quarter-finals and semi-finals are both played home and away, with the quarter-finals landing in late February and early March 2027 and the semi-finals in April.
How Clubs Qualify for the CAF Champions League
Places are earned in domestic leagues, and the number of places each country gets depends on where its association sits in CAF’s five-year ranking.
1. League Champions and Slot Allocation
The 12 highest-ranked associations can enter two clubs, which are the league champion and the runner-up. Every other association enters one club, its league champion.
So a country with a weaker ranking can still send a representative every year, but it only gets a single ticket.
2. Cup Winners and the Confederation Cup
Domestic cup winners generally head to the CAF Confederation Cup instead. That is why a club can win its national cup and still miss the Champions League.
Group Stage Explained: 16 Clubs, Four Groups, Top Two Advance
The 16 preliminary-round survivors are drawn into four groups of four, and the top two in each group reach the quarter-finals. Each club plays the other three home and away, which adds up to six matches per team.
To picture it, look at the previous season. In 2025/26, Group A held RS Berkane, Pyramids, Rivers United and Power Dynamos, while Group B had Al Ahly, Young Africans, AS FAR and JS Kabylie, according to CAF’s tournament guide.
Matchday one is scheduled for 27 to 29 November 2026, and matchday six follows on 22 to 24 January 2027. Clubs that finish third or fourth are out, though they still collect prize money, which the next section covers.
CAF Champions League Prize Money Breakdown by Stage
The winner earns $6 million, a $2 million increase on the previous edition, and CAF says the pool for clubs that reach the group stage and beyond has risen to $19.6 million. The figures below are for the 2025/26 season, the latest structure CAF has published.
| Stage Reached | Prize Money (USD) | Clubs Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | $6,000,000 | 1 |
| Runner-Up | $2,000,000 | 1 |
| Semi-Finalists (Eliminated) | $1,200,000 each | 2 |
| Quarter-Finalists (Eliminated) | $900,000 each | 4 |
| Third in Group | $700,000 each | 4 |
| Fourth in Group | $700,000 each | 4 |
| Preliminary Rounds | $100,000 solidarity payment | Per club |
Add up every row from the winner down to fourth in the group and the total lands on the $19.6 million pool. Even a fourth-placed club earns $700,000, the same as a third-placed side.
The preliminary-round payment doubled from $50,000 in 2024/25, a change CAF outlined in its announcement on club investment.
CAF Champions League vs CAF Confederation Cup
The Champions League is the senior competition, and the Confederation Cup is the second tier with lower prize money and a different entry route. Both use a 16-club group stage, so the gap shows up in who qualifies and what the trophy is worth.
| Feature | CAF Champions League | CAF Confederation Cup |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Entry Route | League champions and runners-up | Cup winners and lower league finishers |
| Clubs Entered in 2025/26 | 62 | 58 |
| Fase de Grupos | 16 clubs, four groups | 16 clubs, four groups |
| Winner’s Prize | $6 million | $4 million |
| Runner-Up’s Prize | $2 million | $1 million |
| Group Stage and Beyond Pool | $19.6 million | $11.9 million |
Common Questions About the CAF Champions League
How Many Clubs Enter the 2026/27 CAF Champions League?
Sixty-one clubs entered. After the two preliminary rounds, 16 remain for the group stage.
When Does the Group Stage Start?
Matchday one is scheduled for 27 to 29 November 2026, and matchday six wraps up between 22 and 24 January 2027.
How Much Does the Winner Earn?
The winner earns $6 million under CAF’s latest published structure, and the runner-up earns $2 million.
Which Clubs Skip the First Preliminary Round?
Mamelodi Sundowns, Espérance de Tunis and RS Berkane. As the three highest-ranked clubs, they enter directly in the second preliminary round.
How Many Matches Does a Club Play in the Group Stage?
Six. Each club meets the other three in its group once at home and once away.
Following the CAF Champions League Through to the 2027 Final
The simplest way to follow the 2026/27 CAF Champions League is to circle four dates: the second preliminary round ties from 16 October, the group stage opener on 27 November, the quarter-finals from 26 February, and the final window in May 2027. The October ties decide which 16 clubs join the draw, so that is where the field gets settled.
Between those dates the format is simple. Four groups, six matchdays, two survivors per group, then home-and-away knockouts until one club takes the $6 million prize.
When the group stage arrives, make sure to follow the games at BBScore!
