The Confederation of the African Football (CAF) announced on Friday the 2021-2022 draw for CAF Champions League preliminary round.
The new season will kick off on 10 September 2021 with the first leg matches played, while the second leg ties will take place on 17-19 September.
Only 44 teams will take part in the preliminary round that has matches divided into two legs, and the aggregate winners will progress to the second round.
Reigning champions Al Ahly of Egypt have been exempted from the first round as they one of the top-ranked sides in the tournament. The other teams excluded include Raja Casablanca (Morocco), Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Zamalek (Egypt), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Simba SC (Tanzania), Horoya AC (Guinea), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Etoile Sportive du Sahel (Tunisia), Wydad (Morocco).
Al Ahly will meet of the double header between US Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger) and Le Messager de Ngozi (Burundi). The two sides will meet in the first leg in Nouakchott on a Friday afternoon.
Cameroon’s Fovu FC de Baham will be making a return after ten years of absence and they will be hoping for long and successful campaign when they face Angola’s Atletico Petroleus in the first round.
South Africa’s Amazulu FC will start their debut campaign in the tournament with a clash against Nyasa Big Bullets.
Tusker FC of Kenya will face a tricky match away to Arta Solar of Djibouti, while Liberia’s LPRC Oilers will open their campaign against Togolese outfit Asko de Kara.
Ghana’s have been draw against Guinean side Club Industriel de Kamsar with the winner of the tie set to face Moroccan heavyweights Wydad Athletic Club in the first round in October.
CAF Champions League Preliminary Draw in full;
