Rangers, Rivers United Await CAF Interclub Preliminary Draw on Thursday

Posted : 03 August 2026

Nigeria's representatives in the 2026/27 CAF Interclub competitions will learn their preliminary round opponents when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducts the official draws on Thursday, August 7.

The draw will take place at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, and will be streamed live on CAF's official YouTube channel and broadcast by its media partners.

The CAF Confederation Cup preliminary draw will begin at 2:00 p.m. Cairo time, which is 12:00 p.m. in Nigeria. The CAF Champions League draw will follow at 3:00 p.m. Cairo time, equivalent to 1:00 p.m. Nigerian time.

Nigeria will have four clubs representing the country in this season's continental competitions. Nigeria Premier Football League champions Rangers International and runners-up Rivers United will compete in the CAF Champions League, while Shooting Stars and El-Kanemi Warriors will feature in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The preliminary rounds will mark the beginning of the 2026/27 CAF Interclub season. The first-leg matches of the First Preliminary Round are scheduled for September 4 to 6, while the return fixtures will be played from September 11 to 13.

Clubs that progress will advance to the Second Preliminary Round. The first legs are scheduled for October 16 to 18, with the decisive return matches taking place between October 23 and 25.

CAF has also confirmed the financial rewards for this season's competitions. The winners of the CAF Champions League will receive prize money of six million US dollars, while the CAF Confederation Cup champions will earn four million US dollars.

In addition, clubs eliminated during the preliminary stages will each receive a solidarity payment of 100,000 US dollars. The initiative forms part of CAF's continued efforts to strengthen African club football by providing financial support to participating teams, even if they fail to progress beyond the early rounds.

Nigerian clubs will be hoping for favourable draws as they seek to make a strong impact on the continental stage. Rangers and Rivers United will target a return to the Champions League group stage, while Shooting Stars and El-Kanemi Warriors will aim to enjoy successful campaigns in the Confederation Cup.

The draw will officially set the road to the group stages, with Nigeria's four representatives hoping to continue the country's strong tradition in African club competitions.

Rangers, Rivers United Await CAF Interclub Preliminary Draw on Thursday

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