Nigeria’s representatives in this year’s CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup—Enugu Rangers, Remo Stars, Enyimba, and El-Kanemi Warriors—will each receive $50,000 as participation fees for the preliminary stages of their respective tournaments.
Enugu Rangers, the Nigerian champions, and Remo Stars, the runners-up, are competing in the Champions League, while Enyimba, who finished third in the NPFL, and El-Kanemi Warriors, winners of the President Federation Cup, are in the Confederation Cup.
CAF announced the new monetary reward on Friday, with CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe emphasizing his commitment to enhancing club competitions and providing more financial support. “In line with Dr. Patrice Motsepe’s promise to improve club competitions and provide more financial assistance, clubs participating in the preliminary stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will each receive USD 50,000,” stated the football body on its website.
The preliminary rounds of matches commenced on Friday, with prize money increasing significantly at each stage. The four Nigerian clubs could potentially earn between $400,000 and $700,000 if they advance to the group stages of their respective competitions. The CAF Champions League winner will receive $4,000, while the Confederation Cup winner will get $2,000.
El-Kanemi Warriors will kick off their campaign against Dadje FC of Benin Republic in their first-leg match at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on Saturday. Enyimba, a nine-time NPFL champion, has received a bye in this round.
Enugu Rangers will face US Zilimadjou of Comoros in the first leg of their Champions League preliminary round at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Remo Stars will host AS FAR Rabat of Morocco. Notably, Zilimadjou has also adopted the Godswill Akpabio Stadium as their home ground.
