The event took place on Saturday evening at Azam Media Studios in Dar es Salaam, featuring Tanzanian football icon Sunday Manara and CAF's Head of Competitions Khaled Nassar.

Current Nigerian champions Remo Stars will begin their journey against Comoros giants US Zilimadjou. Should they defeat the Comorian team in the First Preliminary Round, they will meet South African powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns, who, alongside record title holders Al Ahly from Egypt, received a bye to the next round.

Rivers United will commence their campaign against the eventual champions of the DR Congo league. A win in that match would lead to a confrontation with either Congo’s AC Leopards or Mozambique’s Black Bulls in the subsequent round.

Recently crowned Ghana Premier League champions Bibiani Gold Stars face a significant challenge in their CAF Champions League debut, as they take on Algerian powerhouse JS Kabylie in the preliminary round.

An early North African clash could be on the horizon, as Sierra Leone’s East End Lions face Tunisia’s US Monastirienne, with the winner moving on to confront either Ghana’s Bibiani Gold Stars or Algerian giants JS Kabylie.

Liberia’s FC Fassell will compete against Senegal’s ASC Jaraaf for the opportunity to challenge Algeria’s MC Alger, while Benin’s Dadje FC will take on Libya’s representatives, Libya 1, with the victors earning a matchup against either Togo’s ASCK or Morocco’s RS Berkane.

In other matches, Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora will clash with Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs, with the winners set to face Botswana’s Gaborone United and ultimately Tanzania’s Simba SC in the next stage.

Zambia’s Power Dynamos will start against Ivorian heavyweights ASEC Mimosas, with the winner to meet either Namibia’s African Stars or Uganda’s Vipers FC.

In another matchup, Burkina Faso’s Rahimo FC will face Gabon’s AS Mangasport, with the winners advancing to meet either Niger’s Forces Armees or Tunisian giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis.

This season, teams eliminated in the first two rounds will each receive USD 100,000 to assist with logistical expenses as part of CAF’s initiative to promote greater participation, a strategy reflected in the record number of clubs registered for the 2025/26 campaign.

The Preliminary Round will commence with first-leg matches from September 19th to 21st, 2025, followed by the second legs from September 26th to 28th. The Second Preliminary Round is scheduled for October 17th to 19th (first leg) and October 24th to 26th (second leg).

The Group Stage will kick off on November 21st, 2025, with the knockout phase set to begin on March 13, 2026.