Sports
Ahly, Zamalek Set To Make History In ACL …Enyimba Ready For Rahimo
Today’s African Champions League final in Cairo between Egyptian giants Al Ahly and Zamalek will be the first between rivals from the same country.
It will also be the first to be decided by one match rather than over two legs.
The match will be played in an empty stadium under the slogan “no to fanaticism”.
Ahly has won the Champions League eight times and been crowned Egyptian Premier League champions on 42 occasions while Zamalek has won the premier African club competition five times and has been Egyptian champions on 12 occasions.
The decision not to permit spectators at the 74,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium came in a joint statement by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Egyptian Football Federation (EFA).
Besides health concerns, the historic rivalry between Ahly and Zamalek raised fears of clashes between supporters.
Instead fans are set to be able to watch the match on television in clubs or youth centres, but not in cafes and public places.
Nigerian giants Enyimba International FC is confident of a successful foray into the CAF Champions League this weekend despite not having been in competitive domestic action for months.
Enyimba is set to face Burkina Faso’s Rahimo FC in the first leg of their 2020-21 CAFCL preliminary round tie on Sunday.
With the new season of the Nigerian Professional Football League only set to begin next December (after the last campaign was halted in March and then scrapped entirely), The People’s Elephant may have been in danger of entering the clash undercooked, but they have been busy playing in friendly tournaments and coach Fatai Osho is confident his team will be sharp.
“We just finished the pre-season here in Aba and we came out the winner. With that, we are able to see where we are doing well and where we need to work on.
In a statement released by the league, the competition is scheduled to take place from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 14, 2026, with six clubs set to battle for the league title at the end of the 2025/26 season.
NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, said the choice of Port Harcourt reflects the Rivers State Government’s continued support for women’s football and its successful hosting of the league’s Annual General Assembly last year.
The Super Six tournament will feature the top three teams from Group A and Group B of the regular season competing in a round-robin format, with each club playing five matches over nine days.
Qualified teams for the competition include defending champions Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, Rivers Angels, Robo Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, and debutants Abia Angels.
The NWFL Premiership has produced four different winners in the last five editions, with Rivers Angels winning in 2021, Bayelsa Queens claiming the title in 2022 and 2025, Delta Queens triumphing in 2023, and Edo Queens emerging champions in 2024.
The league also urged participating clubs to comply with all competition regulations and directives ahead of the championship. The Super Six will determine Nigeria’s representative for the WAFU-B qualifiers for a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League and ultimately the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
Teams are expected to arrive on Friday, June 5, when the draw ceremony and pre-match meeting will also take place. Matchdays are scheduled for June 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, with rest days in between before the tournament concludes with the trophy presentation ceremony.
