Rwanda national football league champions APR FC will face Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland in the preliminary round of the 2016 CAF Champions League. The draws ceremony of the 2016 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup was conducted on Friday evening in Dakar, Senegal. The 15-time record champions APR will play the first leg away to Mbabane Swallows at Somhlolo national stadium in Swaziland’s capital on the weekend of February 12-14 before hosting the return leg tie in Kigali a fortnight later. This year, APR were ousted Liga Desporiva of Mozambique 2-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round before losing 4-0 to Egypt’s Al Ahly in the first round. DR Congo’s TP Mazembe are the reigning African champions. Meanwhile, Peace Cup winners Police FC have been drawn against Atlabara of South Sudan in the CAF Confederation Cup. Andre Casa Mbungo’s Police will host the first leg in Kigali before traveling to South Sudan for the second leg match two weeks after. Making their second appearance on continental scene, Police will be looking to erase the 2013 disappointment when they were eliminated from the tournament by Burundi’s Lydia Ludic Academic in the first round. Should APR survive the preliminary phase, they will face the winner between Young Africans of Tanzania and Cercle de Joachim of Mauritius while Police would take on the winner between Angola’s GD Sagrada Esperança and Ajax Cape Town of South Africa. A total of 55 teams from CAF member associations will take part in the two competitions, 12 highest ranked football associations are eligible to enter two teams in the competitions. This will be the 52nd Edition of the Champions League and the 20th Edition under the current format. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
