8th African Nations Championship: Super Eagles team

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed deep worry over the paucity of funds needed to prosecute the Ghana versus Super Eagles Team B away encounter for the 8th African Nations Championship qualifier.

The qualifying match between the senior B teams of Ghana and Nigeria is scheduled for Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, December 22, 2024.

The encounter is the first leg of the qualifying fixture between both teams, with the second and concluding legs billed to take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo a week after.

However, speaking to Sun Sports on Saturday in confidence, a member of NFF Board lamented that the burden of the required fund is too heavy for the federation to bear, decrying non-release of funds from the federal government and the relevant sports agency in charge of running sports in the country.

“Our course hinged the concerns of the federation on the humongous amount for the flight tickets.”

Explaining further, our source said that the federation is expected to pay over N1.3 million for the return tickets on each of the players invited for the match.

“The federation is really in a financial crisis and as I speak with you, it is becoming difficult for the federation to prosecute the important qualifier game against Ghana.

“The fund involved is just too much because the federation will spend over N1.3 million alone on the flight ticket for each of the players.

“Other expenses like travelling logistics and match bonuses are not part of the expenses. The flight ticket for the officials, especially the president taking business class, is not within that rate.

“The situation is worse because the government is not responsive enough to release the needed fund ahead of the qualifier match.

“Unfortunately for the federation, the players cannot go by road because apart from its attendant risk, it is not good for the players. The federation is more or less stranded unless it can’t get where to borrow the needed funds,” our source lamented.

The winner on aggregate will qualify for the 8th African Nations Championship finals, billed to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, using the event as dress rehearsal to test-run facilities and equipment for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals they have been selected to host. The tournament is billed to hold between February 1 to 28, 2025.