MC Alger will face Nigeria’s Rangers. The Algerian outfit delivered a particularly dominant display in the opening round by dispatching ASN Nigelec. Following a goalless draw in the first leg, MCA stormed to a decisive 5-0 victory in the return match, securing passage on a 5-0 aggregate scoreline. Meanwhile, Rangers required a penalty shootout to edge past Benin’s Sobemap (1-1, 1-1, 5-4 on penalties).
MC Alger stands as the final Algerian club remaining in contention after JS Saoura suffered elimination at the hands of Horoya. Although the Algerians held a 1-0 advantage from the opening fixture, Horoya overturned the deficit in the return clash with a 3-1 triumph, advancing 3-2 on aggregate. The Guinean side will now lock horns with Al Merrikh. The Sudanese representatives progressed past Power Dynamos courtesy of twin 1-0 victories across both legs. Also of note is the encounter between Senegal’s Teungueth and Cameroon’s Colombe Sportive. The Senegalese squad advanced past Canchungo with two consecutive 1-0 wins, whereas Colombe Sportive needed a penalty shootout to pull off a surprise knockout against Stade Malien—quarterfinalists last term—following two goalless draws (4-3 on penalties).
The fixtures for the 2nd preliminary round of the African Champions League are now confirmed. The three clubs handed first-round byes—RS Berkane, Esperance Tunis, and Mamelodi Sundowns—have discovered their upcoming opponents. Several matchups promise fierce competition, most notably a blockbuster collision between TP Mazembe and Club Africain, along with a clash pitting MAS Fes against ASEC Mimosas.
First-leg encounters for the second preliminary round will take place between October 16 and 18, ahead of the return legs scheduled for October 23 to 25. The 16 aggregate winners from these ties will earn direct entry into the 2026-2027 CAF Champions League group stage.
Semifinalists last season, RS Berkane begin their campaign against Star Sport Academy. The Sierra Leonean outfit scraped through on the away goals rule against Gambia’s Medina United following a pair of draws (0-0, then 1-1).
Youcef Belaili’s Esperance Tunis will square off against Asswehly in an intense regional derby. The Libyan squad executed a flawless opening round against Zanzibar’s KVZ FC, advancing with a 4-0 aggregate score. Completing the trio of teams exempted from the first round, Mamelodi Sundowns also learned their fate. The South African titleholders will clash with Angola’s Wiliete, who relied on a three-goal tally from marquee signing Mabululu to dismantle Seychelles Foresters 5-0 on aggregate.
Mazembe vs. Club Africain stands out as the marquee showdown of the 2nd preliminary round of the African Champions League. The duel between TP Mazembe and Club Africain, both former continental champions, represents one of the headlining fixtures of this phase. Striving to reclaim past glory, both sides had to navigate the initial round to secure passage. Returning to the Champions League, Mazembe outmatched Medeama. After a narrow 1-0 win in Ghana during the first leg, the Lubumbashi Ravens asserted control at home with a 3-1 victory. Club Africain eliminated Mali’s Djoliba, gaining the upper hand with a 1-0 first-leg win before securing a 2-2 draw in the return fixture.
Maghreb de Fes likewise navigated the opening round with authority. The Moroccan champions brushed aside Burkina Faso’s Rahimo with a 4-1 first-leg triumph before maintaining control through a 0-0 draw in the return leg. Their reward in the second round is a tough test against ASEC Mimosas. The Ivorian representatives endured a harder path against ASC Kara; after a 1-1 draw in Togo, ASEC fell behind and faced virtual elimination before battling back for a 2-1 second-leg victory, sealing a 3-2 aggregate win. The second Ivorian side still active in the tournament, San Pedro, will measure up against FC Nouadhibou after eliminating Nigeria’s Rivers United on away goals (1-1, 2-2). The Mauritanian club utilized the exact same tiebreaker to eliminate Uganda’s Vipers following two draws, 1-1 and 0-0.
2nd Preliminary Round Matchups for the 2026-2027 African Champions League:
Wiliete (Angola) vs. Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Scottland (Zimbabwe) vs. Petro de Luanda (Angola)
African Stars (Namibia) vs. Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
15 de Agosto (Equatorial Guinea) or Fomboni (Comoros) vs. Simba (Tanzania)
CFFA (Madagascar) vs. Young Africans (Tanzania)
Asswehly (Libya) vs. Esperance Tunis (Tunisia)
APR (Rwanda) vs. Zamalek (Egypt)
El Merriekh Bentiu (South Sudan) vs. Pyramids (Egypt)
Sidama (Ethiopia) vs. Al Hilal (Sudan)
Star Sport Academy (Sierra Leone) vs. RS Berkane (Morocco)
Maghreb Fes (Morocco) vs. ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
Teungueth (Senegal) vs. Colombe Sportive (Cameroon)
Rangers (Nigeria) vs. MC Alger (Algeria)
San Pedro (Ivory Coast) vs. Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
Horoya (Guinea) vs. Al Merrikh (Sudan)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo) vs. Club Africain (Tunisia)