The road to the group stage of the CAF Champions League 2025/26 Group Stages reaches its final hurdle this weekend as the first leg matches of the Second Preliminary Round are played across the continent from 17–19 October.
Continental heavyweights enter at this stage while several in-form sides arrive with momentum from the opening round, setting up a compelling set of fixtures.
Record 12-time African champions Al Ahly of Egypt begin their campaign away at Aigle Noir of Burundi, with coach Jess Thorup’s men looking to start their title charge on a strong note.
Another headline tie sees Nigeria’s Remo Stars take on South African powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns, a mouth-watering West versus South continental clash between two of the most dynamic clubs in their regions.
In North Africa, JS Kabylie of Algeria lock horns with US Monastir of Tunisia — two sides who cruised through the opening round with emphatic victories and now meet in what promises to be a high-tempo contest.
Elsewhere, four-time winners Espérance de Tunis travel to Burkina Faso to face Rahimo FC, while Petro Atletico of Angola visit Stade d’Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire aiming to maintain their dominant form from the previous round.
Tanzanian giants Young Africans face Silver Strikers of Malawi, while Orlando Pirates of South Africa travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to face St Éloi Lupopo in another thrilling fixture.
Several emerging sides will also be out to cause upsets in this round. Kenya’s Police FC host Sudanese giants Al Hilal Omdurman, while Mozambique’s Black Bulls take on Rivers United of Nigeria.
Vipers SC of Uganda welcome Power Dynamos from Zambia in an East–Southern Africa showdown, and Horoya AC of Guinea meet FAR Rabat from Morocco in one of the most balanced pairings of the weekend.
The clash between defending champions Pyramids FC (Egypt) and Ethiopian Insurance, as well as the meeting between RS Berkane (Morocco) and Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya), has been postponed.
Pyramids and Berkane will instead face each other in the CAF Super Cup on Saturday in Cairo – a battle between the winners of last season’s CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
The second leg CAF Champions League fixtures are scheduled for 24–26 October 2025, after which the 16 winners will advance to the group stage, which begins in November.
CAF Champions League Fixtures All times (GMT+3)
Friday 17 October
15:00 Police FC (Kenya) vs. Al-Hilal Omdurman (Sudan)
17:00 US Monastir (Tunisia) vs. JS Kabylie (Algeria)
Saturday 18 October
16:00 Aigle Noir (Burundi) vs. Ahly (Egypt)
16:00 Black Bulls (Mozambique) vs. Rivers United (Nigeria)
16:00 Silver Strikers (Malawi) vs. Young Africans (Tanzania)
18:00 Postponed - Ethiopian Insurance (Ethiopia) vs. Pyramids FC (Egypt)
19:00 Rahimo FC (Burkina Faso) vs. Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia)
19:00 Stade d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast) vs. Petro Atlético (Angola)
Sunday 19 October
16:00 Colombe Sportive (Cameroon) vs. MC Alger (Algeria)
16:00 Nsingizini Hotspurs (Eswatini) vs. Simba SC (Tanzania)
16:00 St. Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo) vs. Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
18:00 Remo Stars (Nigeria) vs. Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
19:00 Horoya AC (Guinea) vs. FAR Rabat (Morocco)
19:00 Vipers SC (Uganda) vs. Power Dynamos (Zambia)
22:00 FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania) vs. Stade Malien (Mali)
Saturday 26 October
19:00 Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) vs. RS Berkane (Morocco)