Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions Rangers International have reached an agreement with Remo Stars to use their stadium in Ikenne as their home venue for the preliminary rounds of the CAF Champions League, Soccernet.ng reports.
Rangers clinched the 2025/26 NPFL title on the final day of the season with a 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City. And that automatically secured qualification for the preliminary stage of the CAF Champions League.
However, clubs participating in CAF competitions must have stadiums that meet the Confederation of African Football’s standards for hosting international matches.
Rangers’ traditional home ground, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium — popularly known as The Cathedral — is currently undergoing renovations and does not yet meet the required standards.
According to MikeThePundit, the Rangers hierarchy opted to adopt the CAF-approved Remo Stars Stadium as the club’s temporary home venue until renovation work at The Cathedral is completed.
The ongoing upgrades are aimed at increasing the stadium’s capacity and ensuring it fully complies with CAF requirements for hosting continental fixtures.
Under the agreement, the Flying Antelopes will host their CAF Champions League home matches at the Remo Stars Stadium while work continues on their Enugu base.
When Will Rangers International Begin Their CAF Champions League Campaign?
Only the top two teams in the NPFL qualify for the CAF Champions League. Following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, champions Rangers International and runners-up Rivers United will represent Nigeria in the continent’s premier club competition.
Although Rangers are coming off a successful domestic campaign, they must first navigate the two-legged preliminary rounds before earning a place in the group stage, which features 16 teams divided into four groups.
The last time Rangers competed in the CAF Champions League was last year. They were eliminated in the second preliminary round of the competition, exiting with a 3-2 aggregate score against Angolan club Sagrada Esperança.
Meanwhile, Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side has intensified preparations ahead of the preliminary round, which is scheduled to kick off on September 4.
The Remo Stars Stadium is quite decent. Its modern infrastructure and 5,000-seat capacity meet CAF’s hosting requirements, and the facility has already staged several international fixtures. Rangers will be hoping to make the most of the stadium as they begin their continental campaign.
