Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) have secured a historic return to continental football after 27 years, qualifying for the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup following a third-place finish in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The Ibadan-based side amassed 60 points in the 2025/26 NPFL season to clinch the continental ticket, marking their first appearance in African club competitions since 1999.
Confirming the milestone in an official statement, the club declared: “27 years later, we are back on the African stage. History made. Mission accomplished.”
Despite a narrow 1-0 defeat to Niger Tornadoes in their final league match, Shooting Stars held on to third position, aided by favourable results elsewhere.
Under the guidance of head coach Gbenga Ogunbote, the Oluyole Warriors built a strong campaign, with an impressive home record at the Lekan Salami Stadium proving decisive in their qualification push.
Shooting Stars boast a rich history in African football, having become the first Nigerian club to win a continental title with the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1976. They also won the CAF Cup in 1992 and finished as runners-up in the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1984 and 1996.
Their return to the continental stage is widely seen as a revival of one of Nigeria’s most iconic clubs and a boost for domestic football.
The team will now compete in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminaries, with hopes of advancing further and restoring their legacy on the African stage.
Fans across Ibadan and Oyo State have expressed excitement over the development, anticipating a new era of continental football at the Lekan Salami Stadium.
