Aigles du Congo face stern APR FC test in bid to launch Champions League campaign

The Aigles du Congo begin their 2026-27 CAF Champions League campaign against Rwanda’s APR FC on Sunday, 6 September, with the Kinshasa club aiming to build a first-leg lead despite playing behind closed doors.

The preliminary first-round tie was originally due to take place in Kinshasa, but has been moved to the Frederic-Kibassa-Maliba Stadium in Lubumbashi. CAF rejected APR FC’s request for the match to be staged at a neutral venue and confirmed the Congolese stadium as the location for the opening leg.

The fixture will, however, be played without spectators for security reasons. The Aigles du Congo have challenged the decision and asked for the restriction to be lifted, arguing that the presence of their supporters could provide important backing in a significant home match.

Despite the absence of a crowd, the club remain focused on securing a positive result before the return meeting in Rwanda. Forward Glody Kikwama outlined the team’s immediate target on the eve of the game, saying: « Notre objectif, c’est d’abord de gagner ce match aller, ensuite voir le match retour et passer a l’etape suivante. »

The Aigles are returning to the CAF Champions League with renewed ambitions after a difficult first appearance in the competition. During their debut campaign in 2025, the club were eliminated in the first round by Nigeria’s Rivers United.

That experience has given the Congolese side an opportunity to assess what went wrong and approach this season’s opening tie with greater determination. Their priority will be to avoid an early setback and give themselves a platform from which to compete for qualification over the two legs.

APR FC will provide a demanding test. The Rwandan club arrive after an outstanding 2025-26 domestic season in which they completed a treble, winning the league, the Peace Cup and the Rwanda Super Cup.

That recent success underlines the quality and experience of the opposition facing the Aigles du Congo. The home side will need to combine defensive discipline with greater efficiency in front of goal if they are to take control of the tie in Lubumbashi.

The venue change and closed-door conditions have added an unusual dimension to the first leg, particularly for a team that had expected to play in Kinshasa. The Aigles have nevertheless maintained their ambition of making progress on the African stage.

Victory would give them an important advantage ahead of the return match in Rwanda and improve their prospects of reaching the next stage of the competition. For now, the task is clear: make home advantage count at the Frederic-Kibassa-Maliba Stadium, even without supporters in the stands, and ensure APR FC do not leave with the momentum in the tie.