Super Eagles land in Uyo, set to train on Sunday evening
Nigeria’s delegation to Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Lesotho in the South African city of Polokwane safely returned to the country on Sunday morning, landing at the Obong Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, at 8:05 a.m.
A cracked cockpit windscreen forced the chartered ValueJet aircraft conveying the team from Polokwane to return to the Luanda Airport, 25 minutes after takeoff, following a refuelling stop in the Angolan capital on Saturday afternoon.
However, swift action by ValueJet and Federal Government authorities enabled another ValueJet aircraft to depart Lagos and pick up the team in Luanda. The flight lasted two hours and 20 minutes before landing in Uyo.
Players and officials have since settled into the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene, and team sources confirmed that a training session is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
Group C leaders, the Cheetahs of Benin Republic — Nigeria’s opponents in Tuesday’s crucial encounter — arrived in Uyo on Saturday afternoon and are lodged at the Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort. The team trained at the practice pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Sunday morning.
On Monday, the Cheetahs will hold their official training session at the main pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium from 5 p.m., while the Super Eagles will take their turn at 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday’s big clash, between two of the three teams still in contention for Group C’s sole automatic ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in North America, will kick off at 5 p.m. Meanwhile, the encounter between South Africa and Rwanda — which also holds significance for the group’s final standings — will begin simultaneously in Nelspruit.
