CAF Confederation Cup: Shooting Stars Draw CS Sfaxien, El-Kanemi Face Tough Road to Raja Casablanca

Nigeria's representatives in the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup have discovered their opponents following the conclusion of the competition's preliminary round draw.

Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) have been handed a challenging opening fixture against Tunisian outfit CS Sfaxien in the first preliminary round.

Nurudeen Aweroro's side will host the first leg at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne before travelling to Tunisia for the decisive return leg in Sfax.

Should the Oluyole Warriors progress, they will face either Côte d'Ivoire's AF Amadou Diallo or Sierra Leone's East End Lions in the second preliminary round for a place in the group stage.

Nigeria's second representative, El-Kanemi Warriors, will begin their continental campaign against União Desportiva Internacional (UDIB) of Guinea-Bissau.

A victory over the Guinea-Bissau side would earn El-Kanemi a daunting second preliminary round clash against Moroccan heavyweights Raja Casablanca, one of the competition's seeded clubs that received a bye into the second round.

The first-leg matches of the opening preliminary round are scheduled to take place between September 4 and 6, while the return fixtures will be played between September 11 and 13.

Both Nigerian clubs will be hoping to navigate the qualifying rounds successfully and secure a place in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

Opinion:

The draw presents contrasting challenges for Nigeria's representatives. Shooting Stars face a stern test against CS Sfaxien, a club with rich continental experience, but it is a tie they can approach with confidence if they make home advantage count in Ikenne.

For El-Kanemi Warriors, the path appears even tougher. While they will first need to overcome UDIB, the prospect of facing Raja Casablanca serves as a reminder that success in African club competitions often requires defeating some of the continent's biggest names.

Ultimately, these fixtures offer an opportunity for both clubs to showcase the growing quality of the Nigeria Premier Football League. Positive results would not only boost their own ambitions but also enhance Nigeria's reputation and coefficient in CAF competitions.