CAF Continental Games: Why Rangers, Shooting Stars Chose Abeokuta As Home Venue
By Saheed Afolabi
Enugu Rangers and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) will host their upcoming CAF continental inter-club fixtures at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The Enugu and Ibadan based side traditional home stadiums couldn’t meet the requirements of CAF which made them sought to adopt the MKO Abiola Arena for their continental home games.
Both Nigerian clubs have settled on the venue after moving away from the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, which had earlier been considered for their continental home matches.
Rangers, the reigning Nigeria Premier Football League champions, had initially reached an understanding with Remo Stars to use the Ikenne facility for their CAF Champions League campaign. However, following further discussions with the club’s technical team led by head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, the Enugu side opted for the MKO Abiola Sports Arena.
The Flying Antelopes clinched their ninth NPFL title at the end of the 2025/26 season with a 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City in Lagos on the final matchday, securing a place in the 2026/27 CAF Champions League.
Rangers will begin their continental campaign against Benin’s AS Sobemap in the first preliminary round and must successfully negotiate the qualifying stages to reach the group phase.
Shooting Stars will also base their Confederation Cup campaign in Abeokuta after previously considering the Remo Stars Stadium. The Ibadan club earned their place in the competition by finishing third in the 2025/26 NPFL season.
The Oluyole Warriors face a tough opening assignment against Tunisian side CS Sfaxien in the first preliminary round of the Confederation Cup.
With both clubs now set to welcome their continental opponents in Abeokuta, the MKO Abiola Sports Arena is poised to host a series of high-profile African club fixtures involving two of Nigeria’s leading football sides.
