Tusker FC striker Eric Kapaito executes a drill as teammate and assistant captain Tom Teka looks on/HANDOUT 

Tusker FC have been handed a Sudanese test in the first preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup, with Al Ahli Madani standing between the Mozzart Bet Cup champions and a return to the continental stage.

The Brewers learnt their fate during Thursday’s draw in Cairo, with the first leg scheduled for September 4–6 and the return leg set for September 11–13.

The tie represents Tusker’s first CAF Confederation Cup campaign since 1994 and their return to continental football after a four-year absence. The Brewers last appeared in CAF competition in the 2021/22 season, when they featured in the Champions League before dropping into the Confederation Cup.

Head coach Julien Mette has repeatedly stressed that Tusker must build a squad capable of competing beyond the opening rounds if they are to make a serious impact in Africa.

“Our chances of reaching the group stage will depend a lot on the draw,” Mette said before Thursday’s draw, underlining the importance of the route facing the Brewers.

The Frenchman, however, believes Tusker can compete against more established continental sides if they combine recruitment with tactical preparation and greater experience.

“If we get there, it becomes a different competition because you can then target the quarter-finals with consistent performances,” he said.

Tusker have strengthened their squad significantly during the close season, bringing in several new players as Mette seeks to create greater depth ahead of a demanding domestic and continental campaign.

The coach has also warned of the gulf between the Kenyan league and some of Africa’s strongest competitions, particularly those in North Africa and southern Africa.

“Our league is not at the same level as those in South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco,” Mette said. “If you face clubs from those countries in the preliminary rounds, the challenge is much greater.”

The Brewers’ recent CECAFA Kagame Cup campaign in Rwanda was intended to provide a valuable test of the revamped squad. Tusker finished third in Group C after defeats by Al Hilal and Rayon Sports, before signing off with a 2-0 victory over KVZ. The tournament offered Mette competitive minutes against experienced regional opposition before the CAF assignment.

“We will go to the tournament to prepare and try to win, though that is not the real target,” Mette said before the Kagame Cup. “We will face strong competitors, hard workers and killers, which is something good for us.”

He also saw the tournament as an opportunity to expose his players to the intensity expected in continental football.

“We will play at the Amahoro Stadium, which is a top facility, and the level of opponents will introduce us to the high level of Africa,” he added.

Mette has pointed to Nairobi United’s run in last season’s Confederation Cup, when they eliminated Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel on penalties, as proof that Kenyan clubs can upset more fancied opponents.

“Nairobi United showed it is possible,” he said. “They knocked out Etoile du Sahel even though the Tunisian league is stronger than ours.”

The coach has also urged his players to embrace rather than fear the challenge of facing stronger opposition.

“If we are drawn against clubs from those countries, we will fight,” Mette said.

Should Tusker overcome Al Ahli Madani, they will face the winner of the preliminary-round tie between South Sudan’s Al-Ghazala SC Wau and Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars for a place in the group stage.

Meanwhile, Kenyan champions Gor Mahia will face Pyramids FC of Egypt in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League