Wednesday September 9, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng

By Mfon PATRICK

Rivers United Football Club has appealed to football-loving fans in Akwa Ibom State to turn out in their numbers and rally behind the team when they face San Pedro of Côte d’Ivoire in the second leg of their CAF Champions League first-round tie on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

The appeal was made during a courtesy visit by the management of Rivers United, led by the Sole Administrator of the club, Barrister Christopher Green, and General Manager, Mr. Okey Kpaloku, to the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, in his office in Uyo.

The delegation informed the Commissioner that Rivers United will once again adopt the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium as its home venue for continental fixtures, being the only stadium in Nigeria currently approved by CAF for such international matches.

Rivers United will be hoping to capitalise on home advantage after securing a valuable 1-1 draw against San Pedro in the first leg in Côte d’Ivoire. In a bid to further encourage fans to attend the crucial encounter, the club announced that 50 Rivers United replica jerseys will be given to the first 50 fans who arrive at the stadium on Sunday ahead of the 4:00 p.m. kick-off.

Barrister Green said the club, which has maintained a strong presence in Nigerian representation on the continent through both the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, is determined to progress as far as possible in this year’s competition and contribute to Nigeria’s continued maximum representation at the highest level of African club football.

“We are back in Uyo for our continental matches and we deemed it fit to come and inform you that we are in town because Uyo is our second home,” Green said.

“Rivers United is representing Nigeria on the continent and we want to go as far as we can to ensure a Nigerian team makes it to the latter stages of this competition. We know that Akwa Ibom people love sports, especially football, and we sincerely appeal to all football lovers, fans and stakeholders to come out en masse and support Rivers United to victory on Sunday.

“As a club, we will give away fifty Rivers United replica jerseys to the first fifty fans who come to the stadium on Sunday to support us.”

The Rivers United administrator also expressed appreciation to the Akwa Ibom State Government for its continued investment in maintaining the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium to international standards. He equally thanked Commissioner Elder Paul Bassey for his continued support and hospitality towards the club.

Responding, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, congratulated Rivers United on their hard-fought 1-1 draw in Côte d’Ivoire and urged the team to remain focused, insisting that the first-leg result must serve as a motivation to secure qualification.

Bassey assured the Rivers United delegation that the people of Akwa Ibom would respond positively to the call for support, promising that football fans in the state would turn out in large numbers to cheer the Nigerian representatives and help inspire them to victory.

He urged the players and technical crew to double their efforts, remain disciplined and take advantage of the home support to secure qualification for the next round of the CAF Champions League.

The highly anticipated encounter kicks off at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.