USM Alger has officially secured its spot in the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup. The club received confirmation from the African Football Confederation regarding the withdrawal of their opponents, the Equatoguinean side Panthers FC, from the second preliminary round. The decision follows severe financial difficulties faced by the Panthers, who struggled with the high costs of playing matches abroad due to the lack of CAF-approved stadiums in their home country. Consequently, the governing body canceled both legs of the tie, automatically advancing the Algerian team to the next round.