CAF Names Enugu Rangers, Rivers United as Nigeria’s 2026/27 Champions League Qualifiers

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially confirmed Enugu Rangers and Rivers United as Nigeria’s representatives for the qualifying rounds of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League.

The announcement came on July 7 when CAF published the list of participating clubs, showing that Nigeria is one of twelve nations awarded two slots in the competition.

Both NPFL clubs will enter the tournament at the preliminary stage, facing off against sides from the other top‑ranked member associations.

Countries with Two Representatives

Alongside Nigeria, the nations receiving two entries are Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Mali, Morocco, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Tunisia. Notable confirmed entrants include defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, Zamalek, TP Mazembe, Orlando Pirates, Esperance, Young Africans and Simba.

Associations with One Representative

CAF also stated that forty member associations will each send a single club. Examples include Medeama (Ghana), Gor Mahia (Kenya), Horoya (Guinea), APR (Rwanda), Vipers (Uganda), Power Dynamos (Zambia) and Scotland of Zimbabwe.

Pending Confirmations

The representatives of Equatorial Guinea, Guinea‑Bissau and Somalia are still to be confirmed because their domestic leagues have not concluded. Current league leaders are 15 de Agosto/Leones Vegetarianos (Equatorial Guinea), Canchungo (Guinea‑Bissau) and Heegan (Somalia).

Match Calendar

The first preliminary round will be played from 4 to 6 September, with the return legs scheduled for 11 to 13 September. The second preliminary round takes place between 16 and 18 October, followed by return fixtures from 23 to 25 October.

Group‑stage action begins between 27 and 29 November and runs over six match windows before the knockout phase. Quarter‑finals are set for late February and early March, semi‑finals in April, and the final is fixed for May 2027, with the exact date still to be announced.