Tanzania’s national football team have landed in Uyo ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash against Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
The Taifa Stars delegation arrived at the Victor Attah International Airport on Tuesday morning after landing in Abuja on Monday, as focus now shifts to the first leg of their double-header against the Nigerian side.
Both teams will face off at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Friday, November 13, before heading to Zanzibar for the return leg on November 17.
Chelle prepares Super Eagles for Tanzania test
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and his technical crew arrived in Uyo on Monday as Nigeria kicked off preparations for the encounter.
Several invited players are expected to report to camp ahead of the team’s first training session, scheduled for Tuesday evening.
Nigeria will be aiming for maximum points from both matches as they look to improve their standing in Group L.
The Super Eagles currently sit second with three points from two matches. They started their campaign with a 2-1 win over Madagascar but suffered a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their next outing.
That setback against Guinea-Bissau has made the upcoming fixtures even more crucial for Chelle’s men, who cannot afford another poor result.
Unlike Nigeria, Tanzania have already booked their place at the 2027 AFCON finals as one of the tournament’s co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda.
As a result, the Taifa Stars are not fighting for the available qualification ticket in Group L, which will go to the highest-placed eligible team.
Despite their automatic qualification, Tanzania have struggled in their opening matches.
They lost 2-0 to Guinea-Bissau in Zanzibar before settling for a 1-1 draw against Madagascar, leaving them winless in the qualifying campaign.
The upcoming meetings will therefore give the Tanzanian side a chance to improve their results while testing their squad against one of Africa’s established football nations.
For Nigeria, however, the immediate target is to pick up points and strengthen their position in the race for the group’s sole qualification spot.