Nigeria team makes emergency landing in Angola ahead of Benin match

Nigeria men’s senior national team arrival in Uyo ahead of Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash against the Benin Republic has been delayed as the Super Eagles aircraft landed in Angola.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said this in a statement on Saturday disclosed this after the aircraft which was to convey the team suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air.

The ValueJet Airline aircraft, which was flying the delegation from Polokwane, South Africa, had to make an emergency return to Luanda, Angola, following the incident.

According to the NFF, this is the same aircraft that earlier transported part of the team’s delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving on Friday morning.

“The Nigeria Football Federation has stated that a cracked windscreen of the chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft that was conveying the Super Eagles’ delegation from Polokwane in South Africa to Uyo, for Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Benin Republic, has delayed the arrival of the players and officials in the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The same aircraft had flown some members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving in the South African city on Friday morning.”

The footballing body also stated that during the return journey, after a scheduled refueling stop in Luanda, the aircraft developed the fault shortly after take-off.

“After a routine refueling stop in Luanda, Angola (where the plane also stopped to refuel on Thursday night, and where the same plane had stopped to refuel to and from Bloemfontein in South Africa for the Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana last month), the aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off, and the pilot did well to guide the airplane safely back to the airport in Luanda.”

The incident has caused a delay in the arrival of the Super Eagles for their crucial match against Benin Republic who arrived Uyo on Saturday.

The delay means the Super Eagles will arrive in Nigeria on Sunday to prepare for this must win match.

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