The Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium in Enugu state has been tipped to host the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches slated to hold in 2022, the State government has said.
It further said the African soccer governing board, Confederation of African Football, CAF, approved a list of stadia to host qualifying matches in Africa in which the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium was one of the selected stadia in Nigeria.
According to the State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Manfred Nzekwe, “the top-notch maintenance and attention Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu has received from Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi earned the approval of the stadium as one of the stadia designated for the upcoming World Cup Qualifying matches.
“The African soccer governing body, CAF, ahead of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers, has released the list of 68 stadia that will stage the matches across Africa.
“The approved 68 stadia for the matches were drawn from 34 countries.
“The 7 stadia out of the 68 are from Nigeria. The approved Nigerian stadia are Nnamdi Azikiwe International Stadium, Enugu, National Stadium, Abuja, Adoke Amaisimaka Stadium, Port-Harcourt, Akwa Ibom International Stadium, Uyo.
“Others are Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin and Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.”
According to BSNSports.com.ng, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central Africa, Chad, Eritrea, Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Sao Tome and Senegal. And Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Aswatini and Zanzibar failed to obtain the approval of the committee.
CAF, in a statement released on Thursday, disclosed the World Cup qualification games will begin in September 2021.
The commissioner through his media aide, Mr. Fabian Ugochukwu Kenechukwu, further recalled that “last year, the Governor of Enugu State, H.E. Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had a serious maintenance, upgrade and repair work in Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
“The Enugu State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Manfred Nzekwe had hinted that since the inception of the administration of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium has been on a yearly routine maintenance of the turf and other Sports facilities in the stadium.
“It is this special attention given to Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu and the passion and commitment of the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration towards sports development that made the African Soccer governing body, Confederation of African Football [CAF] to meritoriously select Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu as one of the stadia to stage the all-important World Cup Qualifying matches.”
Journalist101 recalls that the midas touch of the Governor in sports also paid off as the Flying Antelopes; Enugu Rangers International football club won the Nigeria Professional Football League title for the first time in 32 years.
Enugu Ranger have won the Nigeria Professional Football League title
