Nigeria’s representatives, Remo Stars and Rivers United, will be in action this weekend as the 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League gets underway with 30 first-leg preliminary round fixtures across Africa.
Remo Stars, reigning Nigeria Premier Football League champions, are chasing a historic first-ever appearance in the group stage.
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Despite their domestic dominance, the club has never gone beyond the preliminaries in three consecutive attempts, a record they are determined to overturn this year.
The Ikenne-based side, admired for their slick, possession-driven style, open their campaign against Comoros champions US Zilimadjou in Abeokuta on Saturday.
Both legs of the tie will be staged at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta due to stadium challenges in Comoros, handing Remo a rare advantage.
A win would set up a glamorous second-round clash against South Africa’s powerhouse, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Rivers United begin their journey away from home against Aigles du Congo at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa on Sunday.
The Port Harcourt club, runners-up in last season’s NPFL, are eager to restore Nigerian pride on the continental stage.
No Nigerian team has reached the group phase since Lobi Stars in the 2018/19 campaign. Should Rivers progress, they would face either AC Léopards of Congo or Mozambique’s Black Bulls in the next round.
Beyond Nigeria’s interests, the weekend serves up heavyweight clashes.
Zambia’s Power Dynamos take on Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas, while Sierra Leone’s East End Lions meet Tunisia’s US Monastirienne. Ghana’s Bibiani Gold Stars also lock horns with Algeria’s JS Kabylie, a tie rich in pedigree and history.
The stakes are high: winners over two legs progress to October’s second preliminary round, where continental giants such as Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, and defending champions Pyramids FC of Egypt await.
The group stage begins November 21, leading ultimately to Africa’s most prestigious club crown.
It has been more than 20 years since Enyimba last lifted the CAF Champions League trophy in 2004.
For Remo Stars and Rivers United, the immediate goal is clear—secure a place among Africa’s elite 16 clubs and reignite Nigeria’s long-lost continental glory.
The journey begins this weekend.
