Mutaz Al-Shalmani will officiate the match between Nahdat Berkane and Nigeria’s Rivers United in the fifth round of the African Champions League, which will be held tonight at 20:00.
Mutaz Al-Shalmani will be assisted in managing the match by Manji Bushkiweh as the first assistant, Bassem Saif Al-Nasr as the second assistant, and Mohammed Al-Shuhoumi as the fourth official.
Mutaz Al-Shalmani is considered one of the elite referees on the African continent, having received the award for Best African Referee of the Year in 2025 last season.
Nahdat Berkane
Nahdat Berkane is a Moroccan football club based in Berkane, founded in 1938. It is historically significant as one of the oldest clubs in the country and has gained prominence in the 21st century by winning multiple Moroccan Throne Cups and the CAF Confederation Cup.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a West African country with a rich history shaped by ancient kingdoms like the Nri, Benin, and Oyo, as well as the Sokoto Caliphate. It gained independence from British colonial rule in 1960 and is now Africa’s most populous nation, known for its vibrant cultural diversity, significant oil reserves, and influential music and film industries.
Rivers United
Rivers United is a professional football club based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, founded in 2016 from the merger of two local clubs, Sharks FC and Dolphins FC. The club competes in the Nigerian Professional Football League and has quickly become a significant force, winning the league title in the 2021–2022 season.
African Champions League
The African Champions League is the premier annual continental club football competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It was founded in 1964, originally known as the African Cup of Champions Clubs, and was reformatted and renamed in 1997 to follow a model similar to Europe’s UEFA Champions League. The tournament crowns the champion club of Africa and has been historically dominated by teams from North Africa, such as Al Ahly of Egypt.
