Rivers United Could Draw Al Ahly, Sundowns, or Espérance in CAF Champions’ League Group Phase on Nov 3
Rivers United are set to discover their group stage opponents on November 3 as they prepare to make history in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League.
The Port Harcourt-based side has become the first Nigerian club in seven years to reach the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition, marking a major milestone for Nigerian football.
The group stage kicks off on November 21, 2025, and runs until February 14, 2026. Sixteen teams will compete across four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout rounds.
The official draw will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa where Rivers United will learn which continental giants they’ll face.
Seeded in Pot 3 based on CAF’s five-year ranking system, Rivers United could be drawn against heavyweights like Al Ahly of Egypt, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, or Espérance de Tunis from Tunisia, all of whom sit in Pot 1. Other potential opponents include Al Hilal, Simba SC, Petro de Luanda, and AS FAR, among others.
The group stage will follow a home-and-away round-robin format, with points determining progression. In the event of a tie, CAF’s detailed tiebreaker rules will apply, starting with head-to-head results and goal difference.
