2021 AFCON QUALIFIER: Nigeria To Play S’Leone Without Fans

• Stephen Godonu-

The Ministry  of Youth  and Sports Development in alliance with Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19  have ruled out  the possibility of  fans  watching  the eagerly awaited Africa  Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against  the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone  at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin on  November 13.

In a clearly worded advisory  to both the  Edo  State Government  and the  Nigerian  Football Federation (NFF), the authorities  said  they won’t condone breaching the COVID-19 protocol, adding ‘the no gathering, no audience for football  and contact sports’  is still in full  force.

In a  letter to the Deputy Governor  of  Edo State Comrade Philip  Shaibu, the Ministry noted inter alia : “The Ministry  wishes to bring to your  urgent attention  that in compliance with the  condition of no gathering  agreed upon by the Ministry and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 before the Federal Government opened up football and contacts sports, the match between Nigeria and Sierra Leone will not have any audience and no gathering save for players, match officials and government officials from both countries.

“Testing must be conducted on all of them prior to the match.”

There were speculations earlier in the week, there to allow 7000 fans to watch the crucial match billed for the renovated Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium but both the Ministry and PTF are having none of that.