NFF confirms Sand Eagles participation at 2024 Beach Soccer AFCON Qualifiers

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

After a five-year hiatus, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the participation of the national beach soccer team at the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations (BAFCON) Qualifiers.

In a press release from the NFF Communications Department, measures to ensure the participation of the team were in motion starting with the inauguration of the beach soccer and futsal committee this week.

The Futsal and Beach Soccer Sub-Committee is responsible for the organization of all futsal and beach soccer competitions and deals with all matters relating to futsal and beach soccer.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) last week conducted the draw for this year’s Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations (BSAFCON) qualifying series with the Supersand Eagles drawn to play Mauritania home and away in July 2024.

14 countries will be involved in the qualifiers, with the seven winners to join hosts Egypt at the finals.

The Supersand Eagles won the BSAFCON in 2007 and 2009 and reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Italy 13 years ago.

Mauritania will host the Supersand Eagles on a day between 19th and 21st July, with Nigeria hosting the return leg a week later.

The 2024 BSAFCON will serve as Qualifiers for the next FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Seychelles.

For the first time, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will take place on African soil, when Seychelles stages the tournament next year.

Senegal won the last BSAFCON hosted by Uganda in 2022.