Medeama handed daunting TP Mazembe test in CAF Champions league draw

Soccer players in yellow uniforms celebrate a goal with a bunny mascot in the center, on a stadium field with yellow seats in the background.

By Jamaldeen Wiayuka August 6, 2026

Ghana Premier League champions Medeama SC will face five-time African champions TP Mazembe in the first preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League following Thursday’s draw in Cairo.

The draw, conducted at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) headquarters, paired the Tarkwa-based club with one of the continent’s most decorated sides, presenting an early challenge in their bid to reach the competition’s group stage.

Medeama will host the first leg at the TNA Stadium before travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo for the decisive return fixture in Kinshasa.

If the Ghanaian champions overcome TP Mazembe, they will advance to the second preliminary round, where they will meet either Tunisian giants Club Africain or Malian champions Djoliba AC.

The first-leg matches in the opening round are scheduled to be played between 4 and 6 September, with the return legs taking place from 11 to 13 September. The second preliminary round will follow immediately, with first-leg fixtures set for 14 to 16 September and the return matches from 23 to 25 September.

Medeama return to Africa’s premier club competition after securing the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League title. The Mauve and Yellow will be aiming to build on their previous continental campaign and secure a place in the lucrative group stage despite facing one of the tournament’s toughest opening-round opponents.

The tie against TP Mazembe is expected to be one of the standout fixtures of the preliminary round, with both clubs seeking to take an early step towards continental success.