NFF Reveals Ambitious World Cup Programme for Eagles
Six friendlies lined up, kits to be unveiled next month in London
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday in Lagos revealed an ambitious pre-World Cup programme expected to boost the country’s determination to surpass previous marks at the Mundial scheduled to hold in Russia next summer.
In all, the glory-seeking Super Eagles are to play six friendlies starting with the games against Poland on March 23rd in a yet to be named venue and Serbia on March 27th, 2018 in London.
Speaking shortly after the federation sealed a $4million five-year deal with Coca-Cola at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos yesterday, President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, said that because of the possibility of meeting an African country after the group stage, Eagles will play a farewell game against Congo at the Abuja National Stadium, where President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to be in attendance, on May 28.
The high-profile friendly with the Three Lions of England at Wembley will be Eagles fifth game on the road on June 2 before taking on Czech Republic on June 6.
A yet-to-be-named South American team will be Eagles last friendly on June 9 before heading to Russia to begin hostilities in the group stage where the three-time African champions will be aiming to be the first team from the continent to go beyond the quarter final stage of the World Cup
The NFF chief hinted that Nigeria’s kit sponsors NIKE will unveil the official kit the Eagles will use at the World Cup finals on February 7 in London, while a Sponsors/ Partners event will hold also in the British capital hours after the friendly with the Three Lions.
The team’s first phase camping will hold in Abuja or Uyo between May 22 and May 30, while the second phase camping will hold at a health resort in Austria between June 3 and June 11.
Eagles’ official World Cup closed camp base is at Yessentuki, Stavropol Territory in Russia’s southern region, starting from June 11.
Nigeria will face Croatia, Iceland and Argentina in Group D at the mundial.