Homeboyz to start Continental adventure against Libyan side

• Homeboyz are making their debut in Continental football
• They earned the right after winning the FKF Cup
• Kenya will not have a representative in the Champions League

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup champions Kakamega Homeboyz have been drawn against Libya’s El Hilal in the first round of the CAF Confederation Cup, as they make their debut in Continental football.

Homeboyz won the right to represent Kenya in continental football after winning the FKF Cup for the first time ever, and Abana abeingo are looking to make an imprint with a target of progressing to the next round.

Hilal, based in Benghazi, are returning to Continental football for the first time since 2003 and Homeboyz will fancy their chances against the North Africans, who are equally unexperienced on the Continental front.

Meanwhile in other draws involving East African teams, Djibouti’s Arta Solar have been handed an East African derby, with a draw against Somalia’s Horseed SC, while Tanzania’s Singida Big Stars have also been handed a derby, with a short botat trip down to Zanzibar where they will take on JKU Sports Club.

Azam are also drawn in an East African derby, as they will face off with Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar City.

Sudan’s Hay El Arab have meanwhile been drawn against Burundi’s Aigle Noir while Haldoub, also of Sudan, will play a derby as well, facing South Sudanese side El Merreikh Juba.

Teams excluded from preliminary round 

Morocco’s RS Berkane, USM Alger of Algeria, Zamalek of Egypt, Nigeria’s Rivers United, Club Africain of Tunisia, Uganda’s KCCA, Rwanda’s Rayon Sport, St Elloi Lupopo of DRC, Diables Noirs of Congo, Supersport United of South Africa and GDSE of Angola have all been exempted from the preliminary round due to their ranking.

Meanwhile, Kenya will not have a representative in the CAF Champions League after Gor Mahia were eliminated following their license revocation.

There will be several preliminary round derbies to watch out for.

The most entertaining fixture expected will be the North African derby pitting Algeria’s CS Constantine, taking on Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel.

In another hugely anticipated fixture, Malian champions Real de Bamako, who played in the group stages last season, will take on Cotonsport of Cameroon while Wau Salaam of South Sudan will take on their cross-border rivals El Hilal.

Another huge clash in the preliminary round features two regulara in the group stages, AS Otoho d’Oyo of Congo against Sudan’s El Merrikh.

Yanga hope to replicate continental form 

Tanzanian champions Young Africans, who reached the final of the Confederation Cup last season, will look to replicate the same form in the Champions League, and start their campaign away to Djibouti’s Asas.

Meanwhile, Uganda’s Vipers, who reached the group stages for the first time ever last season, will start their new journey against Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy.

Ghana’s Medeama will meanwhile battle Nigeria’s Remo Stars in another mouthwatering West African derby.

The first leg matches will be played on the weekend of August 18-20, with the return fixture scheduled for a week later.

Defending champions AL Ahly, last season’s losing finalists Wydad, Algeria’s CR Belouizdad, Horoya of Guinea, Pyramids of Egypt, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Simba of Tanzania, Petro de Luanda of Angola and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe have been seeded top and will join the competition in the first round.