Enugu Rangers and Rivers United have been handed challenging paths in the preliminary rounds of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League following the draw conducted in Cairo, Egypt.
The draw paired reigning Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions Enugu Rangers with Benin Republic’s SOBEMAP in the opening preliminary round, while runners-up Rivers United will take on FC San Pedro of Côte d’Ivoire in what is expected to be a stern test for both Nigerian representatives.
Rivers United, who qualified for the continental competition after finishing second in the 2025/26 NPFL season, enter the tournament as one of CAF’s seeded Level 3 clubs.
Their recent performances in African competitions have earned them a CAF coefficient ranking of 24th on the continent with 15 points, making them favourites on paper against FC San Pedro, who are ranked 60th in Africa.
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Should the Port Harcourt-based side progress past the Ivorian outfit, they will face either Uganda’s Vipers SC or Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou in the second preliminary round for a place in the lucrative group stage.
For Enugu Rangers, the journey also promises to be demanding. As one of the competition’s unseeded clubs, the Flying Antelopes were placed in Level 5 of the seeding system.
Victory over SOBEMAP would earn them a second-round showdown against either Niger Republic’s ASN Nigelec or Algerian heavyweights MC Alger.
The first-leg matches of the opening preliminary round are scheduled for September 4 to 6, with the return fixtures taking place between September 11 and 13.
The second preliminary round will follow in October, with successful clubs advancing to the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition. l
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup also learned their opponents. Shooting Stars of Ibadan will face Tunisian giants CS Sfaxien, while President Federation Cup winners El-Kanemi Warriors take on UDIB of Guinea-Bissau as they seek to progress in the continent’s second-tier club competition.
