The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and the Ministry of Youths and Sports have advised the Nigeria Football Federation and the Edo state government against breaching the coronavirus protocols by allowing fans into the AFCON qualifier between Nigeria and Serra Leone on Friday November 13 at the Sam Ogbemudia stadium in Benin, Edo state.
There were earlier reports that around 6,000 to 7,000 will be allowed into the newly refurbished ground for the game.
In a letter to the deputy governor, Comrade Phillip Shuaibu , the ministry said , “the ministry wishes to bring to your urgent attention that in compliance with the condition of no gathering agreed upon by the ministry and the PTF before the federal government opened up football and contacts sports , the match between Nigeria and Sierra Leone will not have any audience and no gathering save for players ,match officials from both countries.
“Testing must be conducted on all of them prior to the match “ the letter which made available to our correspondent read in part
The Edo state government had announced that the gates would be thrown open to allow fans watch the AFCON match.
The Super Eagles top Group L with six points from their opening two games against the Squirrels of Benin and Crocodiles of Lesotho.
Victory over Sierra Leone will secure a place for Nigeria in the AFCON finals coming up next year in Cameroon.
