Players of Abia Warriors have started returning to the team’s camp to begin preparations for the team’s maiden foray into African inter-club competition.

  Abia Warriors finished the 2024/25 Nigerian Premier Football (NPFL) season in third position, a spot good enough for the CAF Confederation Cup, which is the Umuahia-based team’s first participation in a continental championship. To ensure that the team is ready when the competition kicks off later this year, players and officials of the club will begin the first phase of their preparation for the competition this week.

  Abia Warriors Media Officer, Solomon Igwe, told The Guardian that the club’s management is doing everything possible to ensure they are ready to win the championship for the first time for Nigeria, adding that the coaches are expected to start assessing the playing staff to determine the areas to fortify.

  “The CAF Confederation Cup is very tough competition and we want to be ready for it,” Igwe said.

“When the team settles down, the coaches will determine the players to retain and new ones to add to the squad.

  “One thing is certain, our chairman, John Obuh, knows what it takes to play in these types of competitions and he, alongside the coaches, has started planning the strategy that would make us successful.”

  Igwe acknowledged that the Umuahia Township Stadium might not pass CAF’s test for the CAF Confederation Cup, adding, however, that whatever happens, the management of the club would choose a venue suitable to the club’s needs.

  He also revealed that the Abia State government is bent on giving Nigeria one of the best stadiums in Sub-Sahara Africa, adding that the state’s new stadium under construction would solve all the problems the state has been encountering in choosing a suitable venue for its teams.

  “The new Abia State stadium located at Isieke, Umuahia, is a 40, 000-seat capacity edifice, which is capable of hosting all the multi-sport events at the same time.

  “We expect the stadium to be completed on time to save Nigeria the shame of being described as a one-stadium country. When it is completed, Abia Warriors will have an arena to host our events, including matches and indoor and outdoor training sessions.”