Nigeria’s sole representative, Rivers United, have been handed a daunting challenge in the group stage of the money-spinning CAF Champions League, following Monday’s draw ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Sixteen of the continent’s finest clubs are set to battle for supremacy in CAF’s elite competition for the right to dethrone current holders, Pyramids.
For Rivers United, the journey to become the first Nigerian club since Enyimba in 2004 to win the CAF Champions League begins with a tasking group stage games against Egyptian giants, Pyramids, CAF Confederations Cup holders, RS Berkane and Zambian Premier League Champions, Power Dynamos.
In Group B, 11-time winners, Al Ahly (Egypt) will face off against Yanga SC (Tanzania), AS FAR (Morocco) and JS Kabylie (Algeria).
Group C comprises 2025 runners up and South African Champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Hilal (Sudan), MC Alger (Algeria) and St Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo).
Finally, Group D has four-time winners, Esperance Tunis (Tunisia), Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro Luanda (Angola) and seasoned campaigners, Stade Malien (Mali)
CAF announced that the group stage matches will take place between November 21, 2025, and February 2026, while the top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the quarter-finals. The quarter-finals and semi-finals are scheduled for April 2026, while the two-legged final will be played on May 30 and June 6, 2026.
The winners of the CAF Champions League will come face to face against winners of the CAF Confederations Cup in the 2026 CAF Super Cup.