Sports
CAF Champions League: Rangers, Rivers Utd learn opponents
By Enitan Abdultawab
Rangers International and Rivers United have been drawn against their opponents for the first qualifying round of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League.
Rangers will face AS Sobemap of Benin Republic, while Rivers United have been drawn against Ivorian side San Pedro.
Rangers, who won the Nigeria Premier Football League title last season, will host AS Sobemap in the first leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne before travelling for the return fixture.
AS Sobemap are making their continental debut after winning their first-ever league title in Benin Republic last season.
Should Rangers progress, they will face the winner between ASN Nigelec of Niger Republic and Algerian giants MC Alger in the second qualifying round, with a place in the group stage at stake.
Rivers United, meanwhile, will begin their campaign away from home against San Pedro before hosting the Ivorian side in the return leg.
San Pedro secured their first league title in Ivory Coast last season and will be hoping to carry that form into their continental campaign.
If Rivers United advance, they will meet either Uganda’s Vipers or FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania in the next qualifying round for a place in the group stage.
The first-leg fixtures are scheduled for September 4 to 6, while the return legs will take place from September 11 to 13.
Meanwhile, Nigeria will also have two representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Shooting Stars have been drawn against Tunisian club CS Sfaxien, while President Federation Cup winners El-Kanemi Warriors will face Guinea-Bissau’s União Desportiva Internacional de Bissau (UDIB).
Nigeria has not had multiple clubs feature in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup in the same season since the 2019/20 campaign, when Enyimba and Rangers represented the country.
The four Nigerian clubs will now begin preparations for their respective continental campaigns, with the first qualifying ties scheduled for September.
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