The Confederation of African Football, CAF have confirmed that all November African Nations Cup qualifiers will be played behind closed doors. CAF says all matches will be played in an empty stadium due to the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe.
This comes after the end of a video conference with National Security and Safety Officers of its member federations on Thursday. As a result, Sierra Leone and Nigeria are among others who will have to contest without spectators in November’s doubleheaders.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles’ players have started arriving on Monday 9th November at Eterno Hotel while the match officials and the delegation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will be accommodated at the Edo Heritage Hotel in Benin City ahead of honouring their 2022 qualifier.
The tie is billed for Friday 13th November at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium without fans.
In another development, Samuel Ikpea, the National Chairman of Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC), has called on Federal Government to change the “no fan” decision imposed despite CAF statement. Ikpea was quoted as saying on Friday in Lagos that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development were not being fair.
“We are disappointed with this decision which denies football fans access into the stadium for the match.”