Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs have received a major boost ahead of the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup draw in Cairo. Fernando Da Cruz’s men have been granted a bye past the first preliminary round, sending them straight into the second preliminary round of the competition.
Why Did Kaizer Chiefs Get a Bye?
Initial projections indicated that Amakhosi would have to begin their continental campaign from the opening round. However, late regulatory changes altered the draw path:
- Congo Disqualification: Congo Brazzaville failed to submit a valid entrant after CAF rejected their request to include AS Otoho.
- No Domestic League: Congo Brazzaville has not conducted domestic league competition for over a year, violating CAF qualification regulations and leaving them without a representative.
- Direct Progression: The resulting slot adjustment allows Kaizer Chiefs to bypass the opening round entirely.
Amakhosi now stand just two matches away (a home-and-away aggregate tie against a first-round winner) from qualifying for the CAF Confederation Cup group stages.
What This Means for Domestic League Fixtures
The bye resolves potential domestic scheduling issues for the Naturena side.
With the first preliminary round matches scheduled for the weekend of 5 September, Kaizer Chiefs were facing a potential postponement of their domestic clash. Thanks to the bye, their scheduled Betway Premiership fixture against Lehlohonolo Seema’s Siwelele FC on 5 September 2026 can proceed without conflict.
