The clubs that will represent South Africa in the CAF club competitions will kick off their Champions League and Confederation Cup campaigns at the weekend.
Thirteen-time Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates will play in the Champions League.
The Pirates finished as runners-up in the log standings last season.
Sekhukhune United will compete in the Confederation Cup alongside Stellenbosch FC. Stellies qualified by virtue of finishing third in the PSL, while Ba Bina Noko are part of the competition after they ended up in the fourth spot on the log.
Sundowns, who reached the semi-finals last season, were given a bye in the first preliminary round this weekend, together with Sekhukhune.
This weekend, the Buccaneers will travel to Mauritius to play Disciples FC, while Stellies will face Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspur in the first preliminary round.
Top teams not playing in preliminary round
The first leg will take place across the border in King Mswati’s kingdom.
The first leg of the preliminary round will take place between August 16 and 18, with the return leg set to be played between August 23 and 25.Â
The second preliminary round will follow between September 13 and 15 for the first legs of the round, while the return legs to confirm the draw for the group stages will be played between September 20 and 22.Â
Title holders Al Ahly SC (Egypt), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), and Sundowns are among the highest-ranked clubs exempted from the first preliminary round of the Champions League, while the 12 highest-ranked clubs in the Confederation Cup, including holders Zamalek SC, are also exempted from the first preliminary round.
While this may still be the early stages of both competitions, fans can expect quality match-ups, as clubs across the continent will aim to put their best foot forward in an attempt to qualify for the second round and ultimately the group stages.
In the Confederation Cup, an interesting tie sees Zambia’s Zesco United face off against Dynamos of Zimbabwe in what is perfectly poised to be an action-packed encounter.
Morocco’s UTS plays host to RS Abidjan of Cote d’Ivoire, while Nsoatreman of Ghana welcomes TP Elect Sport of the Republic of Chad.
