Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs Rivers United and Abia Warriors have officially commenced pre-season training as they gear up for their respective campaigns in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Rivers United, based in Port Harcourt, returned to full training on Monday under the watchful eye of coach Finidi George.
The session, held at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, featured around 25 players and marked the club’s first major activity since finishing second in the NPFL, earning a place in Africa’s top club competition.
“I welcome you back from the offseason break, addressing his squad. “Now it’s time to get ourselves ready for the task ahead. Welcome back,” said Finidi.
Rivers United Head Coach Finidi George. Photo Credit: The Athletic Images
The former Enyimba boss is tasked with steering Rivers United deep into the Champions League after the club narrowly missed out on the NPFL title.
Abia Warriors Eye Historic Continental Debut
Meanwhile, Abia Warriors are preparing for their maiden appearance in continental football, having secured a third-place finish—the club’s best-ever result since its formation.
Players and technical staff have begun reporting back to camp in Umuahia, with the first phase of training scheduled to begin this week.
Abia Warriors after an NPFL match. Photo Credit: X
The club has qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup, making history by reaching the competition for the first time.
Officials say the team’s immediate focus is on fitness, cohesion, and tactical clarity ahead of what will be a challenging but landmark outing.
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CAF is yet to announce the preliminary draws for either competition, though it has confirmed that member federations must submit the names of their representative clubs by 31 July 2025.
The competitions are scheduled to begin in mid-September.
In alignment with continental timelines, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board has announced that the 2025/26 NPFL season will begin on 22 August 2025 and run through to 24 May 2026.
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This gives clubs returning to domestic action just under a month between the start of the league and their first CAF fixtures.
Both Rivers United and Abia Warriors are expected to finalise their CAF registration details and submit their official squad lists ahead of the July deadline.
