Chiefs And Stellenbosch Learn CAF Confed Cup Opponents
Kaizer Chiefs and Stellenbosch FC have learned their opponents for the early rounds of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Chiefs will face Angolan side Kabuscorp, a club that once had Brazilian star Rivaldo in its ranks, in the preliminary round.
Amakhosi are back in a CAF club competition after winning the Nedbank Cup last season. Their last continental campaign was the 2021 CAF Champions League, where they lost in the final to Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly.
Stellenbosch, coached by Steve Barker, received a bye in the preliminary round due to their strong performance last season, which saw them reach the Confederation Cup semifinals.
Stellies, who qualified for this year’s tournament after finishing second in the Betway Premiership, will enter the competition in the second preliminary round. They will face the winner of the match between Foresters FC (Seychelles) and Agosto (Equatorial Guinea).
The draw comes with a significant financial incentive, as CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe has announced an increase in financial support for clubs participating in the preliminary rounds, raising the amount from $50,000 to $100,000.
The journey to the final will begin with the preliminary round, played over two legs on the weekends of 19-21 September and 26-28 September. The winners will advance to the second preliminary round on 17-19 October, with the return legs a week later from 24-26 Octobe.
Successful teams will earn a place in the group stage, which kicks off on 21 November. From there, the best teams will battle through to the knockout stage, starting on 13 March 2026, with the ultimate goal of lifting African football’s most prestigious club trophy.
