The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said it is not in a hurry to move the Super Eagles‘ home matches from Uyo to Lagos, insisting that any change of venue will depend on several factors.
A senior NFF official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the federation was not prepared to relocate the team at this stage, citing concerns that a sudden change of home ground could affect the players’ performance.
“Lagos is under consideration, but Uyo remains the venue for our games,” the official said.
The federation’s position comes amid reports that it is considering the newly renovated Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos as a potential venue for Nigeria’s upcoming home fixture in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.
The discussions follow the Super Eagles‘ 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their second match of the series.
The Conditions Outlined
Any move to Lagos will depend on the readiness of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, which the NFF says is not yet ready to host an international fixture.
The NFF will deploy inspectors to assess the facility once the Lagos State Government completes the renovation work.
The stadium must also receive approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) before it can host competitive matches.
The federation intends to consult the players before making a final decision, to gauge how they feel about playing in Lagos.
The NFF is also considering organising friendly matches at the stadium to evaluate the facilities and gauge the response of local fans.
The official noted that the Super Eagles have played their home matches in Uyo for nearly a decade, making it necessary to carefully assess the potential impact of relocating the team.
With less than a month remaining before the proposed fixture, the official expressed concern that there might not be sufficient time to complete the necessary assessments and approval process.
The NFF is considering hosting the first leg of the upcoming fixtures in Uyo on 11 November, while the return leg is tentatively scheduled for 15 November in Zanzibar, subject to CAF confirmation.
