CAF Champions League expansion implementation

Following CAF’s July 2026 decision to add an extra club slot for each member association, the Confederation moved to operationalise the change. In early August, CAF announced that the preliminary‑round draws for the 2026/27 Champions League and Confederation Cup would take place on 6 August at its headquarters in Cairo. The draw featured Nigerian clubs – Rangers International, Rivers United, Shooting Stars and El‑Kanemi Warriors – confirming their first‑round opponents.

A CAF delegation also inspected proposed venues in Abuja and Lagos, including the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, ahead of the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly and the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony.

These steps mark the rollout of the expanded club‑allocation format while CAF continues to coordinate other continental events, such as the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and COSAFA women’s qualifiers.