Moroccan media have revealed new details regarding the draw system for the 2026–27 CAF Confederation Cup, where Al Ahly and ZED FC will represent Egyptian football. The competition will feature 56 clubs, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has exempted eight teams from the first preliminary round, including Al Ahly.
Al Ahly Seeded in Pot One
Al Ahly has been placed among the tournament's top-seeded clubs according to CAF's club rankings.
Teams Al Ahly Will Avoid
As a seeded club, Al Ahly will avoid facing: Azam FC (Tanzania) Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) Singida Black Stars (Tanzania)
Clubs Exempted from the First Preliminary Round
CAF has exempted the following eight clubs: Al Ahly (Egypt) USM Alger (Algeria) CR Belouizdad (Algeria) Raja Casablanca (Morocco) Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) AS FAR Rabat (Morocco) Maniema Union (DR Congo) Azam FC (Tanzania)
Why Al Ahly Cannot Face ZED FC
CAF regulations prohibit clubs from the same country from facing each other during the preliminary rounds. Therefore, Al Ahly and ZED FC cannot be drawn against each other before the group stage.
Potential Opponents for Al Ahly
Possible Second Preliminary Round Rivals
According to the report, Al Ahly could face one of the following clubs: Welwalo Adigrat (Ethiopia) Tusker FC (Kenya) Mogadishu City Club (Somalia) Hilal Al Sahil (Sudan) Al Ahli Madani (Sudan) Kitara FC (Uganda) KMKM SC (Zanzibar) AS Djibouti Telecom (Djibouti) Ghazala FC (South Sudan)
What Does Al Ahly's Seeding Mean?
Being placed in the top seeding gives Al Ahly a more favorable path through the qualifying rounds by avoiding several of the tournament's strongest teams. This increases the club's chances of reaching the group stage and competing for the CAF Confederation Cup title.
