The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that the African Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Sierra Leone will be played behind closed doors.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi disclosed in Abuja on Tuesday that the situation is as a result of the one-match ban placed on the country by FIFA.
The ban was imposed by world football governing body FIFA after fans invaded the pitch following the Super Eagles failure to qualify for the World Cup.
In a statement he said, “We want to appeal to our very passionate football fans to take heart for this one game. It is only a one-match ban, after which they can again start trooping out to support the Super Eagles. The match against Sierra Leone will be without fans as a consequence of what happened after the match against the Ghanaians.
“Nonetheless, we want to urge all our football fans, and indeed all Nigerians, to support the team whichever way they can and pray for success against the Sierra Leoneans on Thursday.”
The Super Eagles battle the Leone Stars at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja in a Day 1 game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations starting from 5 pm on Thursday, 9th June. Four days later, they tackle ‘The Falcons and True Parrots’of São Tomé and Príncipe at the 45,000 –capacity Grand Stade de Agadir in southern Morocco.
