CAF Champions League: Rivers United to Face Defending Champions Pyramids in Group Stage
Nigeria’s Rivers United will confront Egyptian champions Pyramids FC in a challenging CAF Champions League group stage, following Monday’s draw ceremony in Johannesburg. The Nigerian side joins Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane and Zambia’s Power Dynamos in Group A of Africa’s premier club competition.
The group stage placement marks a significant milestone for Rivers United, who earned their spot through narrow victories against DR Congo’s Aigles and Mozambique’s Black Bulls, winning both ties by single-goal aggregates. However, they face an uphill battle against Pyramids FC, the only team in their group with previous experience at this stage of the competition.
Despite Nigeria’s prominence in African football, the country’s clubs have struggled to make their mark in the Champions League. Enyimba remains the sole Nigerian champion, having claimed consecutive titles in 2003 and 2004, with no other Nigerian club managing to replicate this success in the intervening years.
Defending champions Pyramids FC, who typically operate in the shadow of Cairo giants Al Ahly and Zamalek, shocked the football world last season by clinching the title. They secured their victory with a 2-1 win over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo after managing a crucial 1-1 away draw. Their squad features Congolese striker Mahmoud Mayele, last season’s top scorer with nine goals, who is currently nominated for the 2025 African Player of the Year award alongside Berkane’s Oussama Lamlioui.
In other groups, record holders Al Ahly (12-time champions) headline Group B alongside Morocco’s FAR Rabat, Algeria’s JS Kabylie, and Tanzania’s Young Africans. Group C features an intriguing narrative as Rulani Mokwena, now coaching Algeria’s Mouloudia Alger, faces his former club Mamelodi Sundowns, alongside Sudan’s Al Hilal and DR Congo’s Saint-Eloi Lupopo. Group D comprises Tunisia’s Esperance, Tanzania’s Simba, Angola’s Petro Luanda, and Mali’s Stade Malien.
The competition will commence on November 21-22, with group stages concluding on February 13-14. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, as teams compete for Africa’s most prestigious club trophy.
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