2014 World Cup Play-off: Calabar remains Eagles home

The Super Eagles are expected to stay in
Calabar for the final match of their World
Cup qualifying series despite the re-
opening of the National Stadium, Abuja.
Over the last two years, with the Abuja
Stadium pitch in disrepair and overgrown
by weeds, the Cross River State capital
has hosted the majority of Nigeria’s
international fixtures, including cadet
games.
But the freshly-regressed National
Stadium was re-opened on Tuesday and
there have been suggestions that the NFF
might move the Super Eagles back there
in November when they host Ethiopia.
A top official of the NFF said that that
scenario was very unlikely.
“As far as the federation is concerned at
this moment, there is no reason to change
the venue,” the official said. “If the NFF
decides to bring the team to Abuja and
anything goes wrong, people will say it is
because the venue has changed.
“In any case, it will be the height of
ingratitude to the government and people
of Cross River State who took the team in
and hosted them at a time when nobody
else wanted to.”
The official went on to add that the only
way the match would move from Calabar,
is if the players specifically request it.
“If the coach and players come out and
say they want to play in Abuja, then the
NFF would have no choice, but for now,
the game will be in Calabar.”