The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the official list of the 12 highest-ranked countries allowed to enter two clubs each in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup for the 2026/27 season.
The rankings are determined by the CAF Interclub Ranking, applicable to the new season, and are based on results from the last five competitions.
The 12 Associations that received the two-team allocation are Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Tunisia. They will follow the standard engagement rules, usually involving the domestic league champion and runner-up (or title holder) for the Champions League and the national cup winner with the third-placed league team for the Confederation Cup.
CAF provides further guidance on the full interclub calendar, including multiple player registration periods with their respective eligibility rules.
The continental body also details the allowance of five substitutions per match and a maximum squad registration of 40 players.
Participating clubs must adhere to CAF club licensing regulations and stadium inspection requirements. Member associations are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of all CMS submissions.
This announcement officially kicks off the engagement process and lays the groundwork for what’s shaping up to be a fiercely competitive 2026/27 African club football season.
Preliminary rounds will commence in September 2026 and the finals are slated for May 2027.