Zesco United will face an East African opponent for the 3rd successive year in their opening continental game.
Zesco are set to make their debut trip to Zanzibar to face JKU in a preliminary round first leg match in their 2018 CAF Champions League campaign.
In 2016, Zesco overcame Al Ghazala of South Sudan en route to the reaching the CAF Champions League semifinals that year.
This year, Zesco eliminated Les Messenger Ngozi of Burundi on the first hurdle on their way to reaching the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals.
Victory for Zesco could see them make their now customary continental trip to Cote d’Ivoire to face their 2016 Champions League group stage opponents ASEC Mimosa or to the latter’s preliminary round opponent from Benin.
And Zanaco will kick off their CAF Champions League outing at home against Gambia Armed Forces FC.
Should Zanaco progress, Mumamba Numba’s side will face either 2017 CAF Champions’ League group stage debutants Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland or Lesotho club Bantu FC.
Meanwhile, Nkana are the only one of the four Zambian clubs in continental action on bye.
Nkana will enter the fray in the pre-group stage where they await preliminary round winner between CR Belouizdad of Algeria who face a yet to be named Mali opponent.
Nkana will be away in that first leg fixture.
Meanwhile, Green Buffaloes will face coach Hossam Hassan’s El Masry of Egypt whom they visit in the first leg away in Port Said.
Should Buffaloes progress, they have a first pre-group away first leg date against Simba SC of Tanzania or Gendarmerie Tnale of Djibouti.
All Winners from the first round will advance to the group stage.
The preliminary round match dates in both competitions will be played during the weekend of February 10-12 for the first legs and February 17-19 for the final legs.
The pre-group stage dates are March 10-12 and March 17-19.
Once upon a time Zambian teams used to play all home games first leg and second legs in North Africa almost always! Only once when we lost the Cup Final (hard luck Mordon misses a penalty!) We could have won them games! Nkana!
Go Zambia go
Issa Hayatou’s CAF!