Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has revealed that the refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia in Benin City, Edo State, will host the Super Eagles first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The Eagles and 25 top ranked African teams will be joined by 14 winners from the first round for the second round of the qualifiers which will begin in March 2020.
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All the teams in the second round will be drawn into ten groups of four teams.
And speaking about the choice of Ogbemudia stadium, Pinnick said: “You cannot talk about Nigerian football without talking about Edo,” Pinnick said on Brila FM.
“At a point in time, you have to find Premier League clubs like Flash Flamingoes, Bendel United, Bendel Insurance.
“All these clubs were in Benin and they paraded most of the Super Eagles players so football is coming home and that’s why we are bringing the first World Cup qualifying match to Benin City.”
The 20,000 capacity Ogbemudia stadium had hosted some of the Eagles games in the past.
The stadium first staged the Eagles game in 1983 when they entertained Morocco during the 1984 AFCON qualifier which ended 0-0.
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During the qualifiers for the 2002 AFCON, the Eagles welcomed Madagascar and won thanks to a fifth minute goal by Benedict Akwuegbu.
In 2003, Angola were guests of the Eagles at the Ogbemudia Stadium in a decisive 2004 AFCON qualifier which ended 2-2.
The last time the Eagles played at the stadium was in 2011 in an international friendly against Botswana with both teams playing 0-0.
19 Comments
I hope we’re not going to end up with another draw based on past results from the venue.
Judging by History i am not impressed by the record on this stadium.
Is this the best stadium in this country?
4 games 3 draw 1 win and the win is 1 zero . hmmmm NFF think well ooooo that Benin stadium no work at all
Next in line to host the SE is the Age Stadium. And after that comes the Warri Township Stadium. And finally, the Ughelli Public Field in Delta State.
Good times ahead for the SE. Or what else can I say?
*Agege Stadium
I have to agree with you on this….only that you forgot to add daura township stadium and Elkanemi stadium in maiduguri.
Pinnick should please not put us through this heartache once more. Certain stadiums ooze certain fear factors….Baba Yara in Kumasi, Leopold Senghor in Dakar, Borg El Arab in Cairo, Ahmadu Ahidjo in Younde, Stade de Rades in Tunis and not forgetting Mohammed V in Casablanca. Hearing you are going to play in any of these stadia alone is minus 40% of your confidence level.
No disrespect to Ogbe stadium, but it’s no bigger than a college sports complex…it carries no fear factor, our previous results in that stadium (despite all being against minnows) has been horrible, Angola almost kicked us out of 2004 AFCON on that pitch, thanks to one dying minute abracadabric penalty the ref graciously manufactured for us to equalize. Our boys and coach have never played there before, we don’t know if it will suit their exquisite and expansive style of play…we still haven’t gotten used to Asaba yet,now we have to start moving around stadiums, like Fulani cattle rearers, looking for grass to play crucial WC qualifiers on.
Amaju,Ogbe stadium is not good for business. He who has ears let him hear.
@Dr.Drey
I am a lover of Football & the Super Eagles. I follow discussions, Contributions of various analyst here. I don’t comment. But on this Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, this is the pride of Edo people.
When you said, “…. Not it’s no bigger than a college sports complex…..” That’s not funny.
Have you been to the stadium of recent?… For you who the kind of transformation that’s ongoing there?… It’s a complete set, not restricted to the main bowl. When the Govnor. Obaseki is through, only Uyo & Abuja will be compatible in terms of quality.
Right now, the stadium is out of bound to everyone. It was a friend who works there that took me in to realise what is going on in the stadium. I was marvelled. I could not believe the transformation. I’ve been going to the Ogbemudia Stadium since 1983, when my parents came to Benin City.
Whether you like it or not, l’ve some of the best players this country can boast of on that pitch. Both living and dead. The names are just too much to mention.
So dre… Don’t disrespect Ogbemudia Stadium please…. I am in a good mood now because we are celebrating the Igue festival now, so l just felt like chipping in for the records. The stadium is a scary ground to opponents any day and time.
For some those games mentioned earlier, they were fomerlity matches that had no much importance. Only the game against Angola. Why was it do, because our coaches underestimated the opponent and fielded a make shift team, of which most of the players were in town for holidays. It was the individual ingenuity of Osaze odemwengie and Kalu who scored the second goal that helped. Meanwhile, Yakubu was at the stand watching.
So, it not the pitch, but the quality of players on parade.
The match against Madagascar, it was a Jay-jay Okocha show.
First, before the match, Austin had not come to camp. Ticket was fixed at #200 for popular side. Two days to the match, Austin came in. Ticket moved to #500. My brothers, he gave us value for our money. From the then governor to the least far was entertained by Jay-jay. The stadium was filled to the bream.
So, as far as Nigeria football is mentioned, the NFF officials are not stupid to choose the Ogbemudia Stadium as host of SE match.
We shall meet again in March after the Match.
“we still haven’t gotten used to Asaba yet,now we have to start moving around stadiums, like Fulani cattle rearers”
I am almost rolling on the floor laughing. Very true!
Pinnick was doing very well before oooo. What happened to him? What reason(s) make him so determined to host our international matches in the Edo/Delta area? If the stadia in this region meet required standards, then no wahala. But everyone knows this is not the case. So, why insist on hosting crucial matches on poor pitches? So far, Uyo looks like the best. For any other stadia to be considered, they have to meet Uyo’s standard. Unless there are other things going on behind the scenes that we do not know about.
Ride on Pinnick, if a Fulani man becomes the next Nff president and he takes our matches to zamfara or Borno stadiums we shouldn’t complain ooo.
I can totally respect what the NFF president is trying to do. Trying to please sponsors, brandish newly renovated grounds and at the same time bringing the Super Eagles closer to every part of the country; but these can be counter productive to the success of the team.
I believe Every national team needs a home ground for the obvious reason of getting used to it, building phantom around it and creating that nostalgia feeling around the stadium which could give value to the present and in time for positive outcome.
Wembley stadium is synonymous to England;maracana to Brazil, stade de France to France etc.
Though some teams move around stadia for home venues, it is basically developed countries, with all the stadia (and cities which the stadia are based) evenly developed to standard. For example, most western European countries usually play across different cities and stadia,but we all know how developed these countries are infrastructural wise.
Same can’t be said for us down here.
Most of the stadia here are not up for it.
They are simply too small and basically township stadia.
I haven’t seen the newly renovated Ogbe stadium but I won’t be surprised if it falls in the same category.
Same for the newly renovated onikan stadium,.all township stadia.
We should stick to a stadium that meets the standard of our international team.
Uyo has done us good.
Till we get to renovate the National stadium Lagos (not too prone to Abuja), we should stick to Uyo.unless, there is a surprise and other states get to build or upgrade their stadia to meet up international standard.
Just my take.
I just hope one day, the national stadium Surulere, lagos, will be home ground to our national teams again.All these Abuja, uyo, benin, Asaba etc don’t sound traditional and intimidating at all.
@ please don’t insult Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. If you are not in Edo State does it mean you speak or write poorly on what is ongoing at the stadium.
We have never had it do rosy the way Gov. Obaseki is taking sports particular football in the state.
You don’t have to be in a man’s house to show him respect.
We can host a world cup qualification match, because NNF has said so
Please respect that decision.
You can’t talk of football in Nigeria, without mentioning Edo, it not complete.
I’ve been watching football games at the stadium since 1983. I’ve seen the best of players Nigeria could boast of, both living and dead play on that pitch.
So my friend, you are not authority enough to talk about that stadium.
Let wait till March, for Match before l can remind you of your error.
As an Edoman, born in Benin city, Ogbe stadium has never be good
for Nigeria. I have watch lot of matches there with tears, pain and disappointments when we played international matches. Please, go to Uyo stadium if we really wants to go to World-cup. Cameroon, South Africa, Algeria, they all fall to Nigeria in that great city.
Pinnik is becoming more and more like Buhari and his psydo-nationalists: The Airforce Chief sites the Airforce University in his village; The Army Chief sites the Army University in his own village. If you’re not there, forget it.
@ Dr. Dre. Please don’t disrespect Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium!
Mr man…stop being emotional…no disrespect, nor be only you don watch match for Ogbemudia stadium before. Ogbe stadium is presently not better that what some colleges in US, UK or Australia can offer. All that noise you made about Obaseki being a messiah, I thought you would have concluded it by said Ogbemudia stadium as it currently is can now match the standard of Wembly, Old Trafford or Emirates stadium…or lets bring it closer Uyo or Abuja stadium.
Our Super Eagles deserve stadiums that can intimidate fans, like the ones I mentioned above. Imagine playing Cameroon or Senegal in crucial WC qualifiers in Ogbe Stadium…..that’s already minus 50% of our fear factor. Pinnick can take the SE to Rowe park or Maracana field in Ajegunle for all I care, but when the bubble bursts, when Sani Abacha Stadium 2005 repeats itself or Ahmadu Bello Stadium 2011 re-occurs I hope no one will start raining insults and curses on the SE players or the team handlers.
Abeg shift make we see road…!
…*that can intimidate opposition*…