As the final 2026 World Cup qualifier approaches on Tuesday, the Benin Republic players and coaching staff have arrived in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom state. In contrast, the Super Eagles’ squad from Nigeria is stuck in Luanda, Angola. Their return was delayed due to a cracked windscreen on the ValueJet Airline chartered flight that was transporting them from Polokwane, South Africa. The plane made a scheduled stop in Luanda for refueling but encountered a cracked windscreen shortly after takeoff, forcing the pilot to safely return to Luanda airport. Eric Chelle and his squad were originally scheduled to reach Uyo by Saturday. It remains uncertain whether the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) can quickly arrange a flight to bring the team back before the important match. A late arrival could disrupt the Eagles’ preparation and training, especially since their World Cup qualification is at stake. Nigeria’s recent 2-1 victory over Lesotho has kept them in contention for qualification, but they will need to win against Gernot Rohr’s side, while relying on South Africa to lose points against Rwanda.
