Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Tope Ajayi, and President’s Senior Special Assistant for Grassroots Sports Development, Sir Adeyinka Adeboye, Sunday evening headed a high-level delegation to the reception of the Super Eagles in Bloemfontein to welcome the team ahead of their crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
The delegates, who were on a chartered ValueJet aircraft, landed at Bloemfontein Airport at 6:25 p.m. (South African time) after a journey of three-and-a-half hours from Luanda, Angola, where they made a quick stop-over for refueling before their first departure at Uyo.
With the welcome team were the National Sports Commission (NSC) top hierarchy, headed by Alhaji Salihu Abubakar, Barr. Musa Amadu, Dr. (Mrs.) Kehinde Ajayi, Mr. Ebidowei Owiefie, and Mr. Seyi Johnson.
The Nigerian community in South Africa led by their president, Mr. Smart Nwobi, turned out in large numbers wearing traditional attires and merrymaking with drumming, singing, and dancing to rallying the national team.
The delegation accompanying the team was led by NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau as well as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Hon. Kabiru Amadu, members of the NFF Executive Committee, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, former captains of Super Eagles Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba, stakeholders, staff, and media professionals.
A total of 22 players, along with technical and administrative personnel, traveled. Star forward Victor Osimhen, however, was not present after suffering an injury during Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday.
The Super Eagles are expected to conduct their official training session at Toyota Stadium by 6 p.m. today (5 p.m. Nigeria time) as preparations gather momentum ahead of Tuesday’s do-or-die encounter against the Bafana Bafana.
