Namibia's Premier Football League champions, African Stars, will face Gabonese side AS Mangasport in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.

The two teams will meet over two legs, with African Stars travelling to Gabon for the first leg on 5 September before hosting AS Mangasport on 12 September.

African Stars are three weeks into preparations for their continental campaign, with head coach Ronnie Kanalelo working with the squad ahead of the first leg.

Kanalelo returned to the African Stars dugout after leaving FC Ongos and will be looking to improve on the club's previous campaign under his leadership in 2024, when African Stars were eliminated by Botswana's Jwaneng Galaxy.

Kanalelo has assessed AS Mangasport ahead of the two-legged tie and is preparing his squad for the challenge.

The 2025/26 league title-winning midfielder, Okeri Nguarambuka, welcomed Kanalelo back to African Stars and says the team is preparing for the upcoming season and continental campaign.

Meanwhile, new signings Lyema Dopolo, who joined from FC Ongos, and Paulus Gideon, formerly of UNAM, are preparing for their first continental campaign with African Stars.

AS Mangasport have five previous appearances in the CAF Champions League, giving African Stars an opponent with experience in the competition.

African Stars will travel to Gabon for the first leg on 5 September before hosting AS Mangasport in the return leg on 12 September 2026.

The venue for the home leg is yet to be confirmed.