The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has apologised to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over the poor condition of the pitch at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau.
The stadium hosted Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but the condition of the playing surface attracted significant concerns before and during the match.
According to CAF, the pitch was deemed unfit for professional football, with the condition of the surface posing potential injury risks to players. Both Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau reportedly raised concerns about the state of the pitch before kick-off.
CAF bans stadium
CAF has now taken action by banning the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro from hosting further qualifiers.
The governing body explained that although the stadium had initially been approved following repair works, the condition of the pitch had subsequently deteriorated.
The decision means Guinea-Bissau will have to identify another venue that meets CAF’s requirements for its remaining home matches.
Guinea-Bissau previously ordered to use Morocco
The latest development comes after CAF had already ordered Guinea-Bissau to stage its home matches in Morocco because of concerns surrounding the suitability of its home ground.
The latest ban further complicates Guinea-Bissau’s preparations for the remainder of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
For Nigeria, the CAF decision comes after the Super Eagles left Bissau with a heavy 3-0 defeat in a match that was played on a surface both teams had concerns about.
While the result remains on the record, CAF’s decision has now highlighted the concerns surrounding the conditions under which the match was played.
CAF’s intervention means Guinea-Bissau must now secure an approved alternative venue before hosting its next home qualifier.
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