Clubs to watch in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2026/27

The TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2026/27 will begin with a familiar question hanging over Africa’s biggest club competition: can anyone stop Mamelodi Sundowns from becoming the continent’s dominant force?

The South African champions lifted the trophy last season after defeating AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate, securing their second continental crown and the record USD 6 million winners’ prize.

Their triumph came after years of near-misses and confirmed that Miguel Cardoso’s side remain the benchmark against which the rest must now be measured. 

But this season’s field is packed with clubs carrying pedigree, momentum and ambition. Espérance de Tunis, Pyramids FC, Orlando Pirates, Zamalek, TP Mazembe and RS Berkane all have compelling reasons to believe they can go deep into the competition.

Here are seven clubs to watch.

Mamelodi Sundowns

Sundowns begin as the team everyone will want to beat.

Their 2025/26 triumph was built on patience, tactical control and resilience. They had to survive a difficult group stage before eliminating Stade Malien, then defeating Espérance home and away in the semi-finals, before overcoming AS FAR in the final. 

The South Africans will enter the competition in the Second Preliminary Round, where they will face either Wiliete of Angola or Seychelles debutants Foresters FC.

There has been some change in personnel, most notably the departure of long-serving striker Peter Shalulile, who left after scoring 136 goals for the club and 20 in the Champions League.

Even so, Sundowns retain one of the deepest squads on the continent and still possess major figures such as Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena and Marcelo Allende.

Their biggest challenge may be handling the pressure that comes with being champions.

Espérance Sportive de Tunis

Few clubs carry more continental authority than Espérance.

The four-time African champions reached the semi-finals last season after producing one of the outstanding results of the campaign by eliminating record champions Al Ahly 4-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. 

Their run ended against Sundowns, who beat them 1-0 in both legs, but Espérance again demonstrated why they remain one of Africa’s most reliable tournament teams.

They have been given a bye into the Second Preliminary Round and will face either Swehly SC of Libya or Zanzibar’s KVZ FC.

Espérance’s combination of experience, home support in Radès and familiarity with high-pressure knockout football makes them one of the most obvious contenders to return to the latter stages.

Pyramids FC

Pyramids remain one of the most intriguing teams in the competition.

They won their maiden Champions League title in 2025 by defeating Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate, becoming only the fourth Egyptian club to lift the trophy. 

Although they failed to retain the title last season, their breakthrough campaign changed perceptions of the club. They are no longer viewed simply as ambitious outsiders, but as a side capable of winning Africa’s biggest prize.

This time, however, there is no easy route.

Pyramids have been drawn away to Kenyan giants Gor Mahia in the First Preliminary Round. Should they advance, they will meet either El Merriekh Bentiu of South Sudan or Somalia’s Heegan SC.

Their recent success, squad quality and growing continental maturity make them one of the strongest non-bye teams in the field.

Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates may be the dark horses with the strongest domestic momentum.

The Soweto giants ended a 14-year wait for the South African league title last season, finishing one point ahead of Sundowns after winning 21 matches and posting the best defensive and attacking numbers in the division. 

That domestic breakthrough matters.

Pirates have long carried major continental history, having won the African Champions Cup in 1995, but recent seasons have often been defined by promise rather than ultimate success.

They begin away to Mauritian debutants La Cure Waves, with a potential Second Preliminary Round tie against AS Mangasport or African Stars.

Given their league form, improving squad depth and confidence under Abdeslam Ouaddou, Pirates could be one of the sides capable of disrupting the established order.

Zamalek SC

Zamalek return to the Champions League carrying continental pedigree and recent evidence that they remain dangerous in knockout football.

The Egyptian giants reached the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup final last season, losing 8-7 on penalties to USM Alger after the tie finished 1-1 on aggregate. 

They are five-time African champions and one of the continent’s most recognisable clubs.

Their First Preliminary Round assignment looks favourable on paper, with an away tie against AS Port of Djibouti, but a more demanding test could follow against Aigles du Congo or APR FC.

Zamalek’s challenge is consistency. Their history guarantees respect, but their ability to navigate difficult away ties will determine whether they become genuine contenders.

 

TP Mazembe

No list of clubs to watch in the Champions League is complete without TP Mazembe.

The five-time continental champions remain one of African football’s most storied institutions and possess a reputation built on deep tournament runs, physical power and intimidating home performances in Lubumbashi.

Their opening assignment is one of the most attractive ties of the preliminary round: a meeting with Ghanaian champions Medeama.

The winner will then face either Club Africain of Tunisia or Djoliba AC of Mali, meaning Mazembe have been handed one of the toughest possible routes into the group stage.

That path may actually suit them. Mazembe’s best campaigns have often been shaped by surviving difficult ties early and building momentum as the competition progresses.

RS Berkane

RS Berkane may be best known for their success in the Confederation Cup, but their rise into the Champions League field makes them especially interesting this season.

The Moroccan club have developed into one of the continent’s most consistent interclub performers and received a bye into the Second Preliminary Round.

They will face either Star Sport Academy of Sierra Leone or Medina United of The Gambia.

What makes Berkane intriguing is their recent continental mentality. They have grown accustomed to finals, high-stakes two-legged ties and pressure environments.

Their transition from Confederation Cup specialists to Champions League contenders will be one of the competition’s most fascinating storylines.

A deep field with little margin for error

Beyond these seven, there are several others with the pedigree to make a serious impact.

Al Hilal, MC Alger, ASEC Mimosas, Simba SC, Young Africans and Atlético Petróleos all have enough continental experience to trouble the leading clubs, while debutants could yet provide the surprises that so often define the preliminary rounds.

The First Preliminary Round will be played from 4-6 September, with the return legs from 11-13 September. The Second Preliminary Round follows from 16-18 October and 23-25 October, after which 16 clubs will advance to the group stage.

With a record USD 6 million awaiting the champions, the stakes have never been higher.

Sundowns begin as the side to beat, but history suggests that in the CAF Champions League, reputation only takes a club so far. The teams that survive hostile away trips, manage pressure and peak at the right time are the ones still standing when Africa’s biggest club trophy is finally decided.