The Super Eagles of Nigeria have touched down in Bloemfontein, South Africa, ahead of their crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash against Bafana Bafana on Tuesday, 9 September.
Led by head coach Eric Chelle, the 22-man squad arrived on a chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft which landed at the Bloemfontein Airport at exactly 6:25 p.m. (South African time) on Sunday evening after a three-and-a-half-hour flight from Luanda, Angola, where the plane stopped to refuel following a two-and-a-half-hour journey from Uyo.
Warm reception at the airport
Upon arrival, the Super Eagles were given a delightful welcome led by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Tope Ajayi, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Adeboye.
They were joined by top officials of the National Sports Commission, including Salihu Abubakar, Musa Amadu, Kehinde Ajayi, Ebidowei Owiefie, and Seyi Johnson.
The Nigerian community in South Africa also turned out in impressive numbers, led by their president, Smart Nwobi, showcasing Nigerian culture with colourful traditional attire, singing, drumming, and dancing as they welcomed the team.
The delegation was headed by NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and also included Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Kabiru Amadu, several NFF Executive Committee members, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, as well as former Nigeria captains Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba.
Osimhen ruled out, Chelle faces selection headache
The squad made the trip without star striker Victor Osimhen, who was ruled out after suffering a chin bruise during Friday’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo.
Team doctors confirmed that the Galatasaray forward woke up with discomfort on Sunday and would head to his club to recover.
His absence creates a significant selection dilemma for Chelle, who must decide between Cyriel Dessers, Tolu Arokodare, and Samuel Chukwueze to lead the line. Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon are also expected to play crucial roles on the flanks, while Alex Iwobi could be deployed further forward to add creativity.
Group C standings and stakes
The stakes are high in Group C, where South Africa lead the standings with 16 points from seven matches, while Nigeria currently sit third with 10 points.
A victory on Tuesday would revive the Super Eagles’ qualification hopes and put them firmly back in contention for an automatic spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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The last time the two sides met in Bloemfontein during a competitive fixture, Nigeria secured a 2-1 win in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers.
Eric Chelle is expected to fine-tune his tactics during the team’s official training session at the Toyota Stadium on Monday evening at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Nigerian time), with an emphasis on improving efficiency in front of goal after a series of low-scoring matches.
The highly anticipated clash kicks off at 6 p.m. Nigerian time on Tuesday at the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein.