How Finidi George crashed out of the CAFCL — And what it says about Nigerian club football

The 2025/26 CAF Champions League, CAFCL, campaign has sparked a fierce national debate, with many, including experts, branding it the weakest continental showing in Nigerian club football history.

The final blow came on Sunday in Uyo, where Finidi’s Pride of Rivers suffered an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Egyptian giants Pyramids FC.

The result mathematically ended United’s participation in the competition, leaving them bottom of Group A with a staggering lack of results to show for their efforts.

Rivers United’s Group A journey tells a story of total domestic and continental disconnect.

• Pyramids 3-0 Rivers United (Away)

• Rivers United 1-2 RS Berkane (Home)

• Power Dynamos 0-0 Rivers United (Away)

• Rivers United 0-1 Power Dynamos (Home)

• Rivers United 1-4 Pyramids (Home)

Despite initially leading the NPFL before they were displaced on Sunday, their form crumbled the moment they stepped onto the African stage.

With zero wins, one point from a possible 15, and three successive home losses, Finidi George’s United set a new low for Nigerian representatives in Africa’s premier club competition.

The fallout has been swift and severe. Solace Chukwu, a prominent voice in Nigerian sports journalism, was vocal about the regression of the local game following the latest collapse in Uyo, with no representatives in the CAFCC.

“This is the worst Nigerian club football has ever been. Fact. Even during the 39-year wait for the country's first Champions League, our clubs were competing, coming close, suffering heartbreak in finals,” he posted on social media. “There was a sense that something was building. Now they exit early and with barely any notice.”

Other criticisms pointed to the tactical gap between the NPFL and the rest of the continent, suggesting that Nigerian clubs are stuck in the past.

For many, the problem isn’t just a lack of talent, but a lack of structural ambition. Nigeria was once a powerhouse, producing two finalists and three semifinalists as recently as 2009. Today, that feels like a different era.

But despite the gloom, some fans remain optimistic about the long term recovery by NPFL clubs in CAF competitions.

The spotlight now falls heavily on the head coach, Finidi. While his domestic record remains strong, the inability to win a single home match on the continent is a damning statistic for a coach of his pedigree.