Nigeria’s representatives in the 2026/27 CAF inter-club competitions will be unable to play their continental home matches at their traditional stadiums after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) declined to approve the venues.
The affected clubs—Rangers International, Rivers United and Shooting Stars—will now be required to adopt alternative home grounds for their CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup fixtures.
CAF has approved only three stadiums in Nigeria to host international club matches: the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, and the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
As a result, the affected clubs must choose one of the approved venues as their temporary home ground for the duration of their continental campaigns.
The decision means the clubs will play their home matches away from their traditional fan bases, potentially losing the home advantage that comes with familiar surroundings and strong local support during the 2026/27 CAF inter-club competitions.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
