Sierra Leone’s East End Lions and Bhantal FC will learn their CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup rivals during the Preliminary Draw in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
One of Sierra Leone’s most decorated clubs, East End Lions, is not a stranger to inter-club competition, but Bhantal will be making their debut on the continental stage after two season of gaining promotion to the top-flight.
The draw is set for Saturday, August 9, at 1:00 p.m. local time (10:00 a.m. GMT) and will be streamed live on CAF’s YouTube channel.
“From our first steps in the Sierra Leone Premier League to securing a coveted spot in the CAF Inter Clubs Competitions, the journey of Bhantal FC is nothing short of inspirational,” Bhantal FC noted.
This occasion ushers in what promises to be another thrilling season of Africa’s top club tournaments—the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.
The Preliminary Round is scheduled to kick off on 19 September 2025, followed by the Second Preliminary Round starting on 17 October 2025.
The Group Stage of both the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will begin on 21 November 2025, with the knockout phase set to commence on 13 March 2026.
Continuing the success of prior draws conducted in television studios, CAF’s strategic partner in the area, Azam Media, will host the Draw in its facilities.
Along Canal+, CAF has held draws at SuperSport and beIN Sports studios, two of the important allies in advancing the growth of interclub events.
East Africa is still showing strong increases in the total viewership for both the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup and the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
