South Africa will be represented by Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates in the 2026/27 CAF Champions League, but the two clubs begin their continental campaigns from different positions.
Sundowns return as defending African champions after beating AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate in the 2025/26 final to win their second CAF Champions League title. Their success has earned them a bye through the First Preliminary Round. Orlando Pirates have no such shortcut: their campaign begins away against Mauritian side La Cure Waves in September.
That makes the preliminary rounds the first major story of South Africa’s 2026/27 CAF Champions League campaign. Before supporters can start discussing group-stage opponents, both clubs must secure their places among the final 16.
CAF Champions League 2026/27 key dates
CAF has confirmed that the competition begins in September, while the group stage does not start until the end of November.
| Stage | Dates |
| First Preliminary Round – first leg | 4–6 September 2026 |
| First Preliminary Round – second leg | 11–13 September 2026 |
| Second Preliminary Round – first leg | 16–18 October 2026 |
| Second Preliminary Round – second leg | 23–25 October 2026 |
| Group Stage Matchday 1 | 27–29 November 2026 |
| Group Stage Matchday 2 | 4–6 December 2026 |
| Group Stage Matchday 3 | 18–20 December 2026 |
| Group Stage Matchday 4 | 8–10 January 2027 |
| Group Stage Matchday 5 | 15–17 January 2027 |
| Group Stage Matchday 6 | 22–24 January 2027 |
The knockout rounds begin in February 2027, with the final scheduled during May.
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Mamelodi Sundowns start their title defence in October
Sundowns do not have to play in September.
As defending champions, they are one of three clubs given a bye into the Second Preliminary Round alongside Espérance de Tunis and RS Berkane.
Their first opponent will be either Wiliete of Angola or Foresters FC of Seychelles.
Wiliete and Foresters meet in the First Preliminary Round, with the winner then hosting Sundowns in the first leg of the next stage. The Second Preliminary Round is played over two legs between 16 and 25 October.
For Sundowns, the objective is straightforward: avoid an early upset and return to the group stage as champions.
Their recent record gives them good reason for confidence. Sundowns beat AS FAR 1-0 in Pretoria before drawing 1-1 in Rabat to complete a 2-1 aggregate victory in the 2025/26 final. Teboho Mokoena scored the decisive goal in Morocco as Sundowns claimed their second African title after their first success in 2016.
That victory also secured Sundowns a place at the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
Supporters following Sundowns domestically can also read our PSL 2026/27 season preview for the wider South African title picture.
Orlando Pirates begin against La Cure Waves
Pirates have a longer road.
Their first assignment is an away match against La Cure Waves of Mauritius, who are appearing in the CAF Champions League for the first time.
The first leg will fall within CAF’s 4–6 September window, with the return fixture scheduled between 11 and 13 September.
Pirates will be favourites to progress, but preliminary-round football comes with its own difficulties. Away conditions, unfamiliar opponents and two-legged game management can make apparently straightforward ties more complicated.
The Buccaneers cannot afford to think about the group stage yet.
They first need to deal with La Cure Waves.
Who could Orlando Pirates face next?
If Pirates eliminate La Cure Waves, their route becomes significantly tougher.
They will face the winner of AS Mangasport of Gabon versus African Stars of Namibia in the Second Preliminary Round.
That tie would decide whether Pirates reach the 16-team group stage.
Their potential route is therefore:
La Cure Waves → AS Mangasport/African Stars → CAF Champions League group stage
Pirates supporters can also follow the club’s domestic campaign through our Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates Soweto Derby preview and the wider PSL 2026/27 season coverage.
Sundowns and Pirates have different pressures
The expectations around the two South African clubs are not identical.
Sundowns enter the competition carrying the title. Their season will eventually be judged against what they achieved in 2025/26, so simply reaching the group stage is only the minimum expectation.
Pirates first need to negotiate two qualifying rounds.
That difference matters.
Sundowns can spend September concentrating on domestic football while monitoring Wiliete and Foresters. Pirates must immediately balance PSL commitments with continental travel and two-legged knockout football.
By October, the two clubs could find themselves one tie away from reaching the same destination.
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Which other clubs are in the CAF Champions League?
CAF confirmed 61 entrants for the 2026/27 competition.
The preliminary-round draw includes several major African clubs, including:
- Espérance de Tunis
- RS Berkane
- Zamalek
- Pyramids FC
- TP Mazembe
- Al Hilal
- Simba SC
- Young Africans
- ASEC Mimosas
There are already several notable ties.
Pyramids begin against Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, TP Mazembe face Medeama, while Simba travel to Malawi to play Mighty Wanderers. Young Africans begin against Gaborone United of Botswana.
These ties will gradually reduce the field to the 16 clubs that enter the group-stage draw.
When does the CAF Champions League group stage begin?
The group stage begins with Matchday 1 from 27–29 November 2026.
Six matchdays will be played between November and January before the competition moves into the quarter-finals.
For South African supporters, the important point is that neither Sundowns nor Pirates has a confirmed Matchday 1 opponent yet.
Those fixtures will only become relevant after the preliminary rounds have been completed and the group-stage line-up is known.
Can Mamelodi Sundowns defend the CAF Champions League?
Sundowns begin as the team everyone wants to beat.
Winning the tournament again would make them back-to-back African champions and add another major chapter to a period in which the Pretoria club has become one of the continent’s strongest sides.
But their title defence does not begin with a glamorous group-stage clash.
It begins with a two-legged qualifier against either Wiliete or Foresters.
That is the immediate job.
For Pirates, the journey starts even earlier. La Cure Waves stand between them and the Second Preliminary Round, followed potentially by AS Mangasport or African Stars.
The group stage can wait.
For South Africa’s two representatives, the road to it has already been drawn.
CAF Champions League 2026/27 FAQs
Who are South Africa’s teams in the 2026/27 CAF Champions League?
Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are South Africa’s representatives in the competition.
Who will Orlando Pirates play in the CAF Champions League?
Pirates face La Cure Waves of Mauritius in the First Preliminary Round. If they progress, they will meet either AS Mangasport or African Stars in the Second Preliminary Round.
Who will Mamelodi Sundowns play?
Sundowns will face either Wiliete of Angola or Foresters FC of Seychelles in the Second Preliminary Round.
Are Sundowns the defending CAF Champions League champions?
Yes. Sundowns beat Morocco’s AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate in the 2025/26 final to win their second African title.
When is CAF Champions League Matchday 1?
Group-stage Matchday 1 is scheduled for 27–29 November 2026.
When do Orlando Pirates start their CAF Champions League campaign?
The First Preliminary Round first legs are scheduled for 4–6 September, with the second legs from 11–13 September 2026.
Conclusion
South Africa’s CAF Champions League campaign begins with two very different challenges. Orlando Pirates must first negotiate the preliminary rounds, beginning with La Cure Waves, while defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns enter later with the advantage of a first-round bye.
For both clubs, the immediate focus should be on reaching the group stage rather than looking too far ahead. Sundowns will want to begin their title defence with authority, while Pirates have an opportunity to establish themselves early and build momentum through the qualifying rounds.
The road to the 2026/27 CAF Champions League title is still long, but for South Africa’s representatives, the first objective is simple: get through the preliminary stages and secure a place among Africa’s final 16.
