South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, has arrived in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria’s Super Eagles. The team landed at Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo around 11 a.m. on June 6, 2024, after an overnight stop in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Bafana Bafana’s chartered flight had to stop in Port Harcourt because they arrived in Nigeria after Uyo’s airport had closed. The team’s official social media page shared that they departed South Africa about four hours late on Wednesday, resulting in their late arrival in Nigeria.
A post on the South Africa national team’s official X page reads: “Bafana Bafana have been on the road for 18 hours and still not at the base in Nigeria. The team is currently at Port Harcourt Airport where they cleared customs, awaiting transfer to the hotel, to spend the night. Uyo airport had closed by the time the team was scheduled to take off.”
After spending the night in Port Harcourt, the team continued to Uyo on Thursday morning. Their social media update confirmed their arrival: “Bafana Bafana have finally arrived at their base in Uyo, Nigeria.”
Bafana Bafana is scheduled to hold their first training session in Uyo this evening, in preparation for their World Cup qualification match against the Super Eagles. The match will take place at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 7.
