Four Nigerian clubs are set for a demanding new continental campaign, with preliminary-round opponents to be revealed in Cairo this week.
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Nigeria’s representatives in the 2026/27 CAF Interclub competitions will discover their preliminary round opponents on Thursday, August 6, when the Confederation of African Football conducts the draws in Cairo, Egypt.
Four Nigerian clubs will fly the flag for the country in Africa this season. Rangers International and Rivers United will compete in the CAF Champions League, while Shooting Stars and El-Kanemi Warriors will feature in the CAF Confederation Cup. The Confederation Cup preliminary round draw is scheduled for 1pm Nigerian time, followed by the Champions League draw at 2pm, with the ceremony broadcast live through CAF’s official digital platforms.
Rangers Lead Nigeria’s Champions League Charge
Rangers International, the 2025/26 NPFL champions, return to the CAF Champions League as Nigeria’s leading representative, joined by Rivers United, who finished runners-up in the domestic league. Both clubs will be hoping for favourable draws as they begin their campaigns for a place in the group stage. Fans following Nigeria’s continental push can also check fixtures and offers via the Bet9ja promotions page. (Betting advertisement, 18+ only)
3SC And El-Kanemi Target Confederation Cup Progress
Shooting Stars, who finished third in the NPFL, will represent Nigeria in the CAF Confederation Cup alongside Federation Cup champions El-Kanemi Warriors. For 3SC, the continental campaign represents another chance to restore the club to the forefront of African football after several years away from the continent, while El-Kanemi earned their place through Federation Cup glory and will also be looking to make a strong return.
The first preliminary-round first legs are scheduled for September 4-6, with return legs following between September 11 and 13. The second preliminary round will then be played from October 16-18, with return fixtures from October 23-25, ahead of a group stage expected to begin in late November.
Did You Know?
- Rangers International won a record ninth NPFL title in 2025/26, equalling Enyimba’s record, after a dramatic 2-1 win over Ikorodu City on the final day.
- Rangers reached the final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1975, losing to Guinea’s Hafia FC, before going on to win the CAF Cup Winners’ Cup in 1977.
- Shooting Stars are making their first continental appearance in 27 years, marking a significant return to the African stage for the Ibadan club.
- Rivers United, Rangers’ fellow Champions League representative, missed out on the NPFL title by just one point after beating Katsina United 3-0 on the final day.
- El-Kanemi Warriors earned their Confederation Cup ticket by winning the Federation Cup, Nigeria’s oldest domestic cup competition.
- CAF has introduced a new $100,000 solidarity payment for this season, which will be given to clubs eliminated in the preliminary rounds.
- This season’s CAF Champions League winners will earn $6 million, while the Confederation Cup champions will take home $4 million.
