To several applauses and commendation for good planning and focus, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday in Lagos made public its 2018 FIFA World Cup programme for the Super Eagles, revealing venues and dates for six pre-World Cup friendly matches, kit launch, camping programmes and venues, the team base camp, sponsors’ event and how the team will travel during the World Cup finals proper.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick unfurled the entire programme at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, immediately after the contract signing with Coca-Cola.
The programme explained that the Eagles will play Poland, Serbia, Democratic Republic of Congo, England, Czech Republic and a yet-to-be-named South American team on the way to the World Cup finals in Russia.
On 7th February in London, kit sponsors NIKE will unveil the official kit the Eagles will use at the World Cup finals, while a Sponsors/Partners event will hold also in London hours after the friendly with England’s Three Lions at Wembley on 2nd June.
The team’s first phase camping will hold in Abuja or Uyo between 22nd and 30th May, while the second phase camping will hold at a healthresort in Austria 3rd – 11th June.
The close camp at the Eagles’ official World Cup team base camp is at Yessentuki, Stavropol Territory in Russia’s southern region, starting11th June.
KEY DATES
7th February: NIKE to launch official kit in London
23rd March: Friendly Vs Poland in Warsaw
27th March: Friendly Vs Serbia in London
22nd May – 30th May: First Phase Camping in Abuja/Uyo
28th May: Friendly Vs DR Congo in Abuja/Uyo
2nd June: Friendly Vs England in London. (Same night, Sponsors/Partners event in London)
3rd – 11th June: Second Phase camping in Austria
6th June: Friendly Vs Czech Republic in Austria
9th June: Friendly Vs TBC in Austria
From 11th June: Close camp at team base camp in Yessentuki.
Meanwhile, the NFF, on Wednesday, signed a two –year contract extension with Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr.
NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, explained that Rohr, initially taken on board in July 2016, deserved the extension after qualifying the Super Eagles for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals, even with a match to spare.
“He has done a very good job and when someone does a good job, he gets a reward. We are proud to have taken Mr. Rohr on board and we are delighted to be signing this contract extension with him.”
Rohr, who played as a defender and has coached Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and Gabon national teams before landing in Nigeria, expressed joy at the extension of the relationship, while insisting that the Super Eagles players and officials must remain level-headed and focused going forward.
