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Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC will begin their bid to return to the CAF Champions League group stage against Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou.
The draw for the 2026/27 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup preliminary rounds was held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt, with the Venoms handed a first-round tie against the Mauritanian champions.
Vipers will have to overcome Nouadhibou over two legs to reach the second preliminary round, where they will face the winner between San Pedro of Côte d’Ivoire and Rivers United of Nigeria.
The Venoms, who lifted the Uganda Premier League title, are aiming to qualify for the Champions League group stage for only the second time in their history. Their previous appearance came in the 2022/23 season, when they became the last Ugandan club to reach the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition.
The first preliminary-round fixtures will be played between September 4-6 and September 11-13, 2026, while the second preliminary-round ties are scheduled for October 16-18 and October 23-25.
Clubs that successfully negotiate the second round will qualify for the group stage, which is expected to begin in late November 2026 and continue into January 2027.
Vipers will now look to navigate the qualifying rounds and secure another opportunity to compete among Africa’s top clubs.
