The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has said the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja is ready to host the crucial Qatar 2022 World Cup clash between the Super Eagles and the Black Stars of Ghana.
Speaking during an inspection of the stadium on Tuesday, Nigeria’s 35th sports minister said the ministry has been working closely with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ensure that the hosting of the game is successful.
“I know that in the last several weeks, we have been deliberate in being open about the efforts of the federal government. Right from December when the stadium was handed over and we invited CAF to come and look at it, when they approved the use of the stadium.
“The ministry is working with the NFF and we are taking a lot of proactive steps. We see the cleanliness of the pitch. if you go to the dressing room, you will see Wi-Fi connection be done. There are a lot of things been done and they are not visible to the naked eyes.
“The NFF and ministry have looked at the checklist and there is appreciable progress so far. We looking at ticketing, transportation, security and we hope that 29th of march, the stadium will be ready.
He however said that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was yet to be installed at the time of writing this report.
It will be noted that it was a prerequisite for stadium across the African continent to be certified to host games.
“The VAR is on its way and it is solely handled by the NFF. Before the game here, CAF officials will come and inspect the stadium,” he concluded.
