Kwara United officials say they are optimistic about playing their CAF Confederation Cup home tie against Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko in Ilorin, even as uncertainty lingers over the approval of the club’s Rashidi Yekini Stadium.
Kwara United, winners of the 2025 Federation Cup, are set to rekindle their long-standing West African rivalry with Kotoko in the first preliminary round of the competition. The first leg will be held in Kumasi on September 21, with the return fixture scheduled for Nigeria on September 28.
Club media officer, Ayodeji Ismail, told Punch on Tuesday that renovation works are ongoing at the Ilorin stadium and that the club is waiting for CAF’s inspection before a final decision is made.
“If things work out for us, we should be playing at home because renovation is going on massively,” Ismail explained. “The dressing room and other facilities are being worked on, but we are waiting for the official confirmation and announcement from CAF. For now, we are hopeful we will be allowed to play in Ilorin.”
He revealed that while officials of the Nigeria Football Federation inspected the stadium about a month ago, CAF has yet to conduct its assessment.
“They told us some of the things we needed to do so that the stadium can meet CAF standards,” he said. “We immediately swung into action and corrections are ongoing. We are waiting for the next CAF visit, although we don’t know when that will be.”
Kwara United’s General Manager, Bashir Badawiy, added that the club is in close contact with the NFF and assured that fans would be updated once CAF makes its decision public.
Meanwhile, Remo Stars, Nigeria’s other continental campaigners, have already confirmed approval to host their Champions League games at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta. Kwara United could be forced to play in Abeokuta, too, if Ilorin is not approved.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has promised government support to fast-track the stadium’s readiness, insisting that his administration does not want the team to relocate.
“The stadium is not approved yet, but we want to meet the standards before the inspection team comes from CAF. We are making sure that work is being done with urgency so that we pass the inspection. We do not want our supporters and team playing in Lagos or Abuja,” the governor said during a recent inspection.
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