APR supporters at a previous match
KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwanda’s APR FC will have to travel to Kinshasa for its CAF Champions League preliminary-round opener against Les Aigles du Congo after the Confederation of African Football rejected the Rwandan club’s request to move the match to a neutral venue.
APR FC had asked CAF to relocate the September 5 fixture, citing security concerns linked to the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Ebola outbreak reported in the country.
The decision comes after the two clubs were drawn against each other on August 6. APR FC, Rwanda’s 2025-26 league champion, was paired with Les Aigles du Congo, who finished second in the Congolese league.
The Rwandan club subsequently approached CAF, seeking permission for the first leg to be played outside Kinshasa.
APR FC coach Abderrahim Taleb publicly confirmed the request on August 9, after his team defeated Etincelles FC 2-1 in a friendly at Stade Umuganda.
Taleb said the club was concerned about exposing its players to health and security risks.
“As you know, there is Ebola in Congo,” Taleb said. “Yesterday I saw on television that in one city there were 4,000 people affected. We cannot put our players at risk. We cannot go to a country where there is a disease that could cause us health problems.”
He also pointed to the security situation.
“There is also a war,” Taleb said, adding that the club was discussing with CAF the possibility of playing at a neutral venue.
The request was ultimately rejected, meaning APR FC must now travel to Kinshasa for the first leg.
The match is scheduled for September 5 at Stade des Martyrs, with kickoff set for 5 p.m.
The fixture comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo over the conflict in eastern Congo.
Rwanda has repeatedly raised security concerns linked to armed groups operating in eastern Congo.
The health concerns cited by APR FC add another layer to the club’s objections. The team had argued that travelling to Kinshasa during an Ebola outbreak could expose players and staff to unnecessary health risks.
CAF’s decision nevertheless leaves APR FC with little choice but to honour the fixture in Kinshasa if it is to continue its Champions League campaign.
The Rwandan champions will then host the return leg in Rwanda, with the aggregate winner advancing to the next stage of Africa’s premier club competition.
