BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE– The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have confirmed important dates for the 2026/27 season.
MTN Premier League back-to-back champions, Nsingizini Hotspurs and Green Mamba will represent the Kingdom of Eswatini in the continental showdown.
For the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, Nsingizini Hotspurs qualified as the domestic league champions.
As for the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, Green Mamba secured the Confederation Cup spot by finishing as the domestic cup runners-up.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially released the competition calendar for the 2026/27 editions of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, providing clubs across the continent with a clear roadmap for the upcoming inter-club season.
According to the schedule, the preliminary rounds will begin in September 2026, with the first phase taking place between September 4 and 13.
The second preliminary round is scheduled for October 16 to 25, as teams battle for places in the lucrative group stages of both competitions.
The group stage campaign will commence on November 27, 2026, and run through January 23, 2027, featuring six matchdays that will determine the clubs advancing to the knockout rounds.
The timing means teams will compete across the festive period and the start of the new year in what is expected to be a demanding schedule.
The knockout phase will begin with the quarter-finals, which are slated for February 26 to March 7, 2027.
The remaining contenders will then face off in the semi-finals between April 9 and April 17, 2027, with a place in the continental showpiece at stake.
CAF has also confirmed that the finals of both the Champions League and Confederation Cup will be played sometime between May 9 and May 31, 2027, although an exact date has yet to be announced.
The release of the calendar allows participating clubs, national leagues, broadcasters and supporters to begin preparations well in advance as Africa’s premier club competitions continue to grow in prestige and competitiveness.
With the dates now set, clubs from across the continent will turn their attention to securing qualification and assembling squads capable of challenging for continental glory in the 2026/27 season.
Meanwhile, South Africa will once again have four representatives in CAF continental football next season, with reining African champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates set to compete in the Champions League.
In the Confederation Cup, South Africa will be represented by Kaizer Chiefs, who finished third in the Betway Premiership, and Durban City who qualified for the tournament by winning the Nedbank Cup in May.
This will be City’s debut in continental football a season after they were promoted to the Betway Premiership.
As per the CAF website, the calendar has confirmed that the first preliminary round is scheduled to get underway between September 4 and 13.
Sundowns have bypassed the first preliminary round in recent years due to their rankings, but they are expected to start in the second preliminary round which is scheduled for October.
The Group Stage phase, meanwhile, is expected to commence in the final week of November.
CAF Dates:
First Preliminary Round: 4 September to 13 September
Second Preliminary Round: 16 October to 25 October
Group Stages: 27-28 November
#CAF #Football #Eswatini #ChampionsLeague #ConfederationCup #NsingiziniHotspurs #GreenMamba
(Courtesy Pic)
