NIGERIA will face Senegal, Morocco and Djibouti in the Group A of the 2021 African Minifootball Nations Cup scheduled to be held in Ibadan next month.
According to a draw held on Wednesday at Ilaji Hotel and Sports Resort, Ibadan, venue of the competition, Nigeria would first face the team that eliminated them in the last edition of the tournament, Senegal on July 8 before Morocco and Djibouti.
In group C, defending champions the Ivory Coast will face Egypt, Somali as well as Ghana.
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The tournament which is expected to be attended by 15 countries is aimed at promoting and directing minifootball in the world as a means to contribute to the positive development of society.
Speaking after the draw, Oyo State deputy governor, Engineer Rafiu Olaniyan, said the state is ready to host the rest of Africa with adequate security in place.
“The state is very much prepared, adequate security is in place for all the players and spectators, everything is in place,” he said.
In his remarks, president, African Minifootball Confederation, Achraf Ben Salha, disclosed that the best five teams in the tournament will represent Africa in the Minifootball World Cup 2022 in Ukraine, as the African competition serves as qualifiers for the global tourney.
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“Apart from lvory Coast, champions of Africa, Tunisia, Senegal, Libya are well known in Minifootball but other teams are new and this is their first appearance.
“This tournament will be a very interesting one and this is very good for Nigeria to host the rest of African countries.
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“I’m proud to say, if we agree, Nigeria can host the next Minifootball World Cup, the facility here at Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort is the best in Africa, I have visited round the world, I have never seen a place like Ilaji Sports Resort and I must thank the National President, Nigeria Minifootball Association (NMA), Mr Oluyemi Taiwo for making the dream a reality,” Achraf said.