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The ousters of Remo Stars, Kwara United and Plateau United during the qualification series meant that Rivers United are Nigeria's only team left on the continent.
The month of February will see Nigerian champions Rivers United launch their CAF Confederations Cup campaign, with a bid to not only go beyond the Group stages but also, become the first Nigerian side to win the competition.
The Pride of Rivers qualified for the group stages of the competition last November, after defeating Libya's Al Nasr Benghazi 6-1 on aggregate in the qualification playoffs.
The ousters of Remo Stars, Kwara United and Plateau United during the qualification series meant that Rivers United are the only Nigerian club side left on the continent this season.
Here's all you need to know as Rivers United campaign starts in February
What Group are Rivers United in?
The Nigerian champions are drawn in Group B of the Confederation Cup, alongside:
- ASEC Mimosa (Cote d'Ivoire)
- Diables Noirs (Congo)
- DC Motema Pembe (Democratic Republic of Congo)
When will Rivers United play their matches?
The Port Harcourt club will start their group stage campaign with a trip to Diables Noirs on February 12, before returning to Nigeria to host ASEC Mimosa in their first home match, seven days later.
- 12th February: Diables Noirs (A)
- 19th February: ASEC Mimosa (H)
- 26th February: Motema Pembe (A)
- 3rd March: Motema Pembe (H)
- 19th March: Diables Noirs (H)
- 2nd April: ASEC Mimosa (A)
Where will Rivers United play their home matches?
At the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, 124.3 km from their base, Port Harcourt.
Rivers United cannot use their Adokiye Amiesamaka Stadium in Port Harcourt after CAF ruled that the stadium had failed to meet up with the requirements for hosting continental club matches.
What happens next?
In the group stage, each group will be played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. Should Rivers United emerge as either winners or runners-up of Group B, they will advance to the quarter-finals of the knockout stage.
Group B is one of four groups in the first round.
What record are Rivers United chasing?
Should the Pride of Rivers go all the way to win the title, they will become the first Nigerian side to achieve such a feat.
The only Nigerian side to have come close are now-defunct Dolphins who made the finals of the 2005 competition but lost to Morocco's FAR Rabat.
Who are the team to beat?
RS Berkane are the current defending champions, having beaten Orlando Pirates by penalties in the 2022 final.
What does the 2022/23 winner stand to gain?
The current prize money for the CAF Confederation Cup winners stands at $1.25 million, with the runner-up in line to bag $625,000, and semi-finalists, $450,000. Teams that get knocked out in the quarterfinals will get $350,000.
The venue for the final is yet to be announced by CAF.
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