Nigeria’s Rivers United will face a formidable challenge in the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League, after being drawn in a tough Group A alongside Egypt’s Pyramids FC, Morocco’s RS Berkane, and Zambia’s Power Dynamos.
The draw, held on Monday, November 3, at the SuperSport Studios in Johannesburg, produced several heavyweight clashes featuring seven former African champions, promising one of the most competitive group stages in recent memory.
Group A headlines the lineup with a thrilling reunion between defending champions Pyramids FC and CAF Confederation Cup winners RS Berkane, who will rekindle their rivalry following their CAF Super Cup meeting, where the Egyptian side triumphed 1–0.
9news Nigeria reports that Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambia’s Power Dynamos complete the quartet, setting up what analysts already describe as a “group of death.”
Record 12-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt will begin their quest for a 13th African crown in Group B, where they are drawn against Tanzania’s Young Africans, Moroccan champions AS FAR, and two-time winners JS Kabylie of Algeria.
The group is expected to deliver classic matchups between some of the most successful clubs in African football history.
In Group C, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, one of the continent’s most consistent performers, will face Sudan’s Al Hilal, MC Alger of Algeria, and St Éloi Lupopo of DR Congo, a pool boasting rich tradition and fiercely loyal supporters.
Four-time winners Espérance de Tunis lead Group D, which also features Tanzania’s Simba SC, Angola’s Petro de Luanda, and Stade Malien of Mali.
The group promises a series of intense battles as all four clubs look to advance to the knockout rounds.
Tournament Schedule and Prize Details
9news Nigeria understands that the group stage will kick off on the weekend of November 21–23, 2025, with two matchdays scheduled before the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.
The competition will pause during the AFCON and resume from January 23–25, 2026, before the knockout phase begins on March 13, 2026.
The winners of the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League will earn $4 million, while runners-up will take home $2 million, according to CAF.
Full Group Stage Line-Up
- Group A: RS Berkane (Morocco), Pyramids FC (Egypt), Rivers United (Nigeria), Power Dynamos (Zambia)
- Group B: Al Ahly (Egypt), Young Africans (Tanzania), AS FAR (Morocco), JS Kabylie (Algeria)
- Group C: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Al Hilal (Sudan), MC Alger (Algeria), St Éloi Lupopo (DR Congo)
- Group D: Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia), Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Stade Malien (Mali)
Matchday Fixtures
- MD1: Nov. 21–23
- MD2: Nov. 28–30
- MD3: Jan. 23–25
- MD4: Jan. 30–Feb. 1
- MD5: Feb. 6–8
- MD6: Feb. 13–15
With the draw now concluded, attention turns to whether Rivers United, Nigeria’s lone representative, can overcome Africa’s elite to reach the knockout stages and restore Nigerian football’s long-lost dominance on the continental stage.
