Ghana FA Cup champions Nations FC will begin their first African club competition campaign with an away tie against Mali’s FC Diarra in the first round of the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup preliminary stage.
The match-up was confirmed after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducted its preliminary-round draw in Cairo on Thursday.
Nations FC will travel to Mali for the opening leg, scheduled to be played between 4 and 6 September 2026. The return fixture will take place in Ghana between 11 and 13 September.
The Ghanaian club will be aiming to bring home a positive result from the first meeting, as they attempt to progress beyond the opening stage of their maiden continental campaign.
Victory over FC Diarra across the two legs would send Nations FC into the next round, where they would meet the winner of the tie between Nigerien club AS Zam and Togo’s ASKO De Kara.
The club secured its place in the CAF Confederation Cup by winning the 2025/26 Ghana FA Cup. That success marked a historic milestone for Nations FC and earned them the opportunity to compete in Africa for the first time.
Their entry also gives Ghana another representative in CAF’s inter-club competitions. Nations FC will now look to build on their domestic cup triumph as they prepare for their first experience of continental football.
The two-legged tie against FC Diarra will therefore represent the club’s first test outside Ghana, with the initial challenge coming away from home in Mali before the return encounter in September. To reach the next stage, Nations FC must overcome the Malian side over the two matches.
The eventual winner of the Nations FC-FC Diarra contest will then face either AS Zam or ASKO De Kara. The outcome of that second-round tie will determine whether Nations FC can continue its historic run in the competition after making its continental debut through the Ghana FA Cup.
For now, the draw has given the Ghanaian FA Cup holders a clear route into the tournament, beginning with a trip to Mali in early September and followed by a home fixture the following week. Their campaign will start with the club seeking to establish itself on the African stage after its breakthrough domestic success.
