Rangers International have formally asked the Confederation of African Football to guarantee the safety of their players, officials and travelling supporters ahead of Friday’s return leg in Algiers.
The request follows what the Enugu club describes as a breakdown of order at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, where the first leg of their CAF Champions League tie against MC Alger was played on Sunday.
In a statement on Monday, the club alleged that supporters of the Algerian side damaged an entrance gate, gained entry without paying gate fees and vandalised seats. Rangers said these events had raised real concerns about what awaits them in Algeria.
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They also stressed their commitment to fair play and their confidence in CAF’s established processes, and they urged their own fans to stay calm and disciplined while the club awaits a response. That response was not part of the statement, and the allegations have not been independently verified.
The complaint arrives against a backdrop of recurring disorder at continental fixtures. After the quarter-finals of the 2025 Champions League and Confederation Cup, CAF handed down multiple punishments to clubs from several countries, mostly over fan misbehaviour such as laser pointers, with Orlando Pirates fined $70,000.
MC Alger itself was charged over its tie against Orlando Pirates, which forced the execution of a suspended sentence of two home matches behind closed doors, along with fines of $10,000 for smoke bombs and $20,000 for laser pointers.
In 2021, two of its players were suspended for 12 months for attacking the referee Joshua Bondo after a Champions League match against Wydad.
Back in 2007, CAF banned five players and the club president for violent behaviour against officials during a CAF Cup tie against Nigeria’s Kwara United. Those incidents involved different matches and circumstances, and CAF has made no finding on what happened in Abeokuta.
