Football: Remo Stars, Rivers United kick off CAF Champions League campaign this weekend
NPFL teams hoping for winning start to 2025-26 CAFCL campaigns
The journey to be crowned kings of Africa begins this weekend, with the 2025-26 CAF Champions League first qualifying round bringing us 27 matches from all corners of the continent in the space of 72 hours.
On Saturday, our attention will be drawn to Rivers United, who kick off their campaign with a trip to Stade des Martyrs to take on Linafoot champions JSK, who won their first national championship title last season.
Rivers finished as runners-up in the Nigeria Premier Football League for a second consecutive season on the bounce last term, but they have got off to a strong start in 2025-26, still unbeaten after five league games following a 1-0 victory over Shooting Stars last week.
Remo Stars have never featured in the main draw of Africa’s premier club competition, and their latest attempt gets underway on Sunday, when they face Comoros Premier League outfit Zilimadjou. You can keep up with all this weekend’s action using our football livescore tool.
Notably, with their home base in Ikenne currently undergoing renovation, Remo Stars will play their continental matches at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta - home of fellow NPFL team Kwara United.
Can Remo Stars reach first Champions League main draw?
Remo Stars made history last season by winning the NPFL title for the first time, and the next aim for the side is to make their presence known on the continental stage, where a Nigerian-based team has not won this competition since Enyimba over two decades ago.
The Sky Blue Stars were busy during the offseason, bringing in players to improve their chances of reaching CAFCL success. Among the most notable arrivals are Malian duo Chaka Coulibaly and Adama Goita, as well as Benin international Jerome Bonou.
Another factor that could play to Remo’s benefit was the inclusion of seven of their players in the national team for the recent African Nations Championship, where, despite failing to make much of an impact, the experience gained against other home-based players would have been invaluable.
