WCQ: Eagles commence training in Uyo as players, coaches arrive

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will commence training on Saturday in Uyo ahead of next week’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying schedule against South Africa and Benin Republic, www.aclsports.com reports.

The camp of the senior national team officially opened in the Akwa-Ibom state capital on Friday with the arrival of the team’s coaches led by Finidi George and his backroom staff.

Five of the twenty-three (23) invited players ahead of the qualification matches also arrived the Ibom Golf Resort Hotel camp of the Super Eagles, the same hotel base that hosted the team during their successful run towards qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

According to www.aclsports.com checks, Tanzania based defender Benjamin Tanimu, Enyimba goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo and Çaykur Rizespor star Ibrahim Olawoyin were the early birds in the team’s camp on Friday. The duo of Rangers left back Kenneth Igboke and Remo Stars right wing back Ismail Sadiq also joined on Saturday morning with the rest expected later this weekend.

The Super Eagles team are expected to have their first training session on Saturday afternoon ahead of the all important games.

Nigeria will face the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday, June 7 in their third group game of the qualification series before they travel to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire to face Benin Republic on Monday, June 10.

Nigeria are currently third on the Group C standings with two points from as many matches, two points behind group leaders Rwanda and one behind Friday’s opponents South Africa. The overall group winner after ten round of matches will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.