Nairobi United square-up with fellow newbies as continental journey begins

FKF Premier League side Nairobi United will enter into new territory on Saturday, 20 September as they begin their continental journey in the 2025-2026 CAF Confederation Cup against Uganda’s NEC at Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo.

Naibois, who guaranteed their place in the competition after clinching last season’s Mozzart Bet Cup, will be playing their match in the CAF preliminary stages, where a USD400,000 (approximately Ksh 51.6 million) cash reward awaits them should they get through to the group stages.

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Led by coach Nicholas Muyoti, Nairobi United will look to build on the aforementioned run in the domestic cup where they stunned giants including Tusker, former champions Kakamega Homeboyz and record Premier League champions Gor Mahia in the final.

Speaking after their final training session in Uganda, Muyoti laid bare the club’s ambition in the tournament, saying: “Our preparation has been good, we have no injuries and we should be ready to go.

Many think that being our first time in this competition we will not challenge, but we all want to participate. My players told me this is their cup, and that is the way we intend to approach the game.”

Standing in their way is a team that has been on a fairly similar journey, with NEC also making their debut in the competition since their inception in 2018.

The only caveat with Nairobi United is their time spent in the top-tier, as NEC were promoted in the Uganda Premier League in the 2021-2022 season.

Their remarkable first season in the top-tier saw them get close to qualifying for the CAF Confederation Cup, only for a 1-0 loss to Kitara FC in the 2023/24 Stanbic Uganda Cup final to scupper their efforts.

The side, led by coach Hussein Mbalangu, finished second last season, and in the build-up to Saturday’s match - which they qualified on the basis of SC Villa scooping a league and cup double - played in the FUFA Super 8 title where they suffered a 2-0 defeat to SC Villa at Kadiba Stadium.

That tune-up will put them in good stead, with Nairobi United leaning on their form in the Elite Preseason Cup, where they came up against lower-tier side Soy United, Kariobangi Sharks and Sofapaka.

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Mozzart Sport, in its recent visit to Uganda, learnt of Nairobi United’s plan to play its preseason matches in Uganda, only to pull back its plans following the CAF draw.

They are now there, and not for a feel of the pitch, but for a chance to stamp their authority in a bigger pool, with either Sudan’s Al Ahli Madani or Tunisia’s ES Sportive in the next round.

Kick off is at 1900 EAT.