Rangers Petition CAF over Alleged Stadium Vandalism by MC Alger Fans

Nigerian football club Rangers International FC of Enugu has petitioned the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over alleged vandalism and disorder involving supporters of Algerian club MC Alger at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The petition followed Sunday’s CAF Champions League second-round qualifying match between the two clubs, which ended in a 2-0 victory for Rangers.

According to reports, more than 400 Algerian supporters allegedly became violent after the final whistle, damaging seats in the stadium’s covered stands and reportedly attacking their team’s assistant coach.

In a statement published on its Facebook page on Monday, Rangers said it had formally reported the incidents to CAF and requested urgent intervention ahead of the return leg in Algiers.

The club alleged that the visiting supporters damaged a stadium entrance gate, entered the facility without paying the required admission fees and vandalised seats, alongside other acts of disorder.

Rangers called on the continental football governing body to consider appropriate precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents during the second leg scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2026.

“Rangers International FC, Enugu, confirms that it has formally petitioned the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following incidents involving visiting supporters during and after our CAF Champions League fixture against MC Alger at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, on Sunday, 18 October 2026,” the club stated.

It added that the petition highlighted concerns over the reported destruction of the stadium entrance gate, unauthorised entry without payment of gate fees, vandalism of seats and other alleged acts of disorder.

The Nigerian club said it had requested CAF’s urgent intervention, including the consideration of measures to ensure safety and order during the return fixture in Algeria.

Rangers also reiterated its commitment to fair play, compliance with football regulations and the protection of players, officials, supporters and other stakeholders.

The club expressed confidence in CAF’s established procedures and said it was awaiting a response to its petition.

“We thank our supporters for their continued loyalty and urge everyone to remain calm, disciplined and focused as the Club prepares for the return leg,” the statement added.

The first-leg victory gave Rangers a two-goal advantage heading into Friday’s return encounter, where the Nigerian side will seek to secure progress in the continental competition.

The outcome of the tie will be determined by the aggregate score over the two legs, with both teams seeking to advance to the next stage of the CAF Champions League.

As of Monday, Rangers had not announced any response from CAF regarding its petition.

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