Rivers United have underlined their status as Nigeria’s most consistent continental force, emerging as the country’s highest-ranked club in the latest Confederation of African Football (CAF) rankings.
The Port Harcourt side sits 24th in Africa with 14 points, a reflection of their steady presence in CAF competitions over the past five seasons, often carrying the nation’s flag deep into the business end of tournaments when others have stumbled.
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The latest rankings arrive just 24 hours before the preliminary round draw for the 2025/26 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup in Tanzania. With seeding heavily influenced by these coefficients, Rivers United’s standing could offer them a more favourable route through the early rounds.
Link to CAF’S 2025 Club rankings
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By contrast, Enyimba International, Nigeria’s most decorated club on the continent, have slipped to 35th with just 7 points; a far cry from the days when the People’s Elephant roared across Africa, winning back-to-back Champions League titles in 2003 and 2004.
Their most recent notable run came in the 2024/25 Confederation Cup group stage, but early elimination and inconsistent results in recent years have eroded their ranking. For a club once feared from Casablanca to Cairo, the decline is as glaring as it is telling.
No other Nigerian club was captured in the top 75 clubs released by CAF.
CAF’s ranking system measures performances in continental competitions over the last five seasons, with recent results carrying the most weight. Rivers United’s higher placement reflects not just qualification, but competitive resilience, outlasting other Nigerian sides in Africa’s toughest arenas.
READ ALSO: NPFL: Rivers United announce Yemi “Yema” Olanrewaju as Chief Coach
At the top of the continental table, Al Ahly of Egypt remain unchallenged on 78 points, their dominance built on relentless Champions League success. They are followed by Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on 62 points, and Tunisia’s Espérance Sportive de Tunis on 57 points; two sides that have consistently pushed deep into the tournament’s knockout stages.
For Rivers United, the challenge now is to convert ranking advantage into silverware, cementing themselves not just as Nigeria’s most consistent CAF campaigners, but as genuine contenders against Africa’s elite.
The preliminary round draw takes place today (Saturday) in Tanzania, with fixtures kicking off in the coming weeks. For Nigerian clubs, the rankings will be more than just numbers; they could shape the entire path to continental glory.
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