By Victor Kanayo
Nigerian delegation comprising Super Eagles technical crew and players on Sunday arrived Abidjan, capital of Cote d’Ivoire ahead of Monday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualification series Day 4 encounter against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.
Heritage Times HT gathered that the delegation, is led by President of Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, included 23 players, technical and administrative officials, a few members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management, and a couple of media representatives.
They flew aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft from the Obong Victor Attah Airport in Uyo and landed at the Aeroport Felix Houphouet-Boigny at noon on Sunday.
With only three points from their first three matches of the campaign, and going up against the Cheetahs who boast four points, the Eagles know they must fire on all cylinders and recreate the happy moments of the AFCON at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny – where they won all three matches played there during the Africa Cup of Nations finals earlier in the year.
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Gabonese official Pierre Ghislain Atcho will be the referee for Monday’s encounter that commences at 4pm CIV time (5pm in Nigeria).
Ethiopian officials Temesgin Samuel Atango and Tigle Gizlaw Belachew will serve as assistant referees 1 and 2, while Cameroonian Antoine Max Effa Essouma will be fourth official.
Djamel Haimoudi from Algeria will be the referee assessor, with Burkinabe David Yameogo as commissioner and Ivorian Atte Claude Elloh as security officer.
The Nigerian team are yet to win any match since the qualifying series started.
They have only managed to settle for three draws, meaning that the team can only boast of three points out of possible nine.
