Yanga, Simba to Learn CAF opponents as Tanzania hosts historic draw

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s football giants, Young Africans (Yanga SC) and Simba SC, will learn their 2025/26 CAF Champions League opponents on Saturday, August 9, 2025, in a landmark draw event set to take place at Azam TV Studios in Tabata, Dar es Salaam.

Joining them in this much-anticipated draw are Azam FC and Singida Black Stars, who will be competing in the CAF Confederation Cup. From Zanzibar, Mlandege FC (Champions League) and KMKM (Confederation Cup) will also discover their preliminary round opponents during the same ceremony.

The draw, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will officially mark the start of the 2025/26 African club season and will be broadcast live on CAF’s YouTube channel and other partner platforms.

As per CAF’s official format changes, this season’s Champions League will feature 62 clubs. However, unlike past editions where four to six top-ranked teams received byes to the second round, only two clubs—Egypt’s Al Ahly and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns—will enjoy that advantage.

That means both Yanga, the reigning Tanzanian Premier League champions, and Simba, who reached the CAF Confederation Cup final last season, must begin their continental journey from the first preliminary round, kicking off on September 19, 2025.

Simba’s previous high ranking in CAF competitions has often seen them skip the first round, but this time they’ll walk the same path as Yanga, fighting from the earliest phase. The change is part of CAF’s effort to make the competition more competitive and inclusive, ensuring all teams, regardless of reputation or ranking, earn their spot on the field.

Azam FC and Singida Black Stars, Tanzania’s Confederation Cup contenders, are also set to start from the same preliminary round. Meanwhile, Zanzibar’s Mlandege and KMKM will carry the archipelago's hopes in their respective competitions.

After the initial knockout phase, only 30 teams will advance to join Al Ahly and Sundowns in the Round of 32, scheduled to begin on October 17, 2025.

Hosting the draw in Dar es Salaam is a significant milestone for Tanzanian football. It underscores the country's growing influence in African football and recognizes the strong performances of its clubs, as well as the rising viewership across East Africa.

Azam Media, CAF’s official broadcast partner in the region, was given the honor of organizing the draw—joining the ranks of elite broadcasters such as SuperSport and beIN Sports, which have hosted similar high-profile CAF events in the past.

The group stage for both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup will officially begin on November 21, 2025, while the knockout rounds will kick off on March 13, 2026.

With all six Tanzanian and Zanzibari clubs preparing for battle, and with the draw taking place on home soil, tomorrow marks a historic moment for East African football.