Rivers United technical manager Finidi George has laid out his ambitions for the 2026/27 campaign, with the Port Harcourt club having returned to pre-season training at their Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex in Omagwa.

The club gave their players a one-month rest following the conclusion of last season before regrouping on Monday morning for the first session of pre-season preparations.

Three competitions on the horizon

Rivers United finished runners-up to champions Rangers International in the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League season. That finish earns them a place alongside Rangers International in next season's CAF Champions League — a competition that shapes much of Finidi's planning.

"The early period of pre-season will be focused on building fitness levels, establishing tactical cohesion, and integrating our new signings into the squad," Finidi told the club's media after Monday's session.

"With the demands of continental football, we must prepare thoroughly from the outset," he added.

The early resumption, Finidi explained, is deliberate — giving his coaching staff adequate time to prepare the squad for the three competitions they are set to contest in the new season.

Management pledges full backing

Before Finidi addressed the squad, General Manager Okey Kpalukwu welcomed both returning and new players on behalf of the club's management. Kpalukwu urged the players to stay focused and to follow the technical crew's instructions without deviation.

He reminded the squad that the government and people of Rivers State, along with football supporters across Nigeria, are counting on them to deliver. Kpalukwu also confirmed that the club's sponsors would provide their full backing throughout the campaign.