Super Eagles: 2 key reasons Nigeria may snub Lagos for Tanzania AFCON qualifier

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have played a large chunk of its home games at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium since 2014 and that may not change any time soon.

An impressive upgrade has been carried out at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, providing another option for Super Eagles’ competitive home matches.

And there are already reports suggesting that the three-time continental champions could host their next Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Tanzania in Lagos.

However, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is faced with two major obstacles before deciding whether to move the Super Eagles’ home fixture against Tanzania to Lagos.

The federation is weighing the readiness of the renovated Teslim Balogun Stadium and the potential disruption of moving the team away from its established home ground.

Nigeria are scheduled to host Tanzania in the first leg on November 11, with the return fixture billed for Zanzibar four days later.

The Super Eagles are targeting an immediate response after suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in Bissau during their second match of the qualifying campaign in September.

Super Eagles vs Tanzania: Obstacles to hosting Taifa Stars in Lagos

Teslim Balogun Stadium is not ready

The first major obstacle is the state of the renovated Teslim Balogun Stadium. The 24,000-capacity edifice has been discussed as a possible venue for Nigeria’s home fixture, subject to approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

An NFF official told The Guardian that the federation would need to inspect the facility before considering it for a competitive international match.

That inspection step, however, can only follow after Lagos State completes the renovation work being done in the stadium. Once the federation’s inspectors assess whether the stadium meets the necessary requirements, only then can moves be made to secure CAF’s hosting approval.

With the Tanzania fixture less than a month away, there is not enough time to squeeze all that process in.

The NFF, already battling several Super Eagles issues, is therefore reluctant to commit to Lagos before confirming that the stadium is ready to host an international qualifier.

Moving away from Uyo could disrupt the Super Eagles

The second concern is the potential effect of changing venues on the players.

The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo has served as the Super Eagles’ regular home ground for more than a decade. It has given the team familiarity with the facility and its surroundings.

It is a genuine concern that moving the players to a different venue without sufficient preparation could prove counterproductive in a crucial qualifier.

The federation also wants to consult the players and assess the atmosphere in Lagos through friendly matches before committing to hosting competitive fixtures there.

Meanwhile, the NFF and head coach Eric Chelle’s technical crew are assessing player availability ahead of the back-to-back Tanzania fixtures.

The squad announcement and arrival date will depend on CAF’s confirmation of the match schedule and the applicable FIFA international window.