The Nigeria Amputee Football Federation has called on the government and corporate bodies for support as the Nigeria Amputee Football Team ( Special Eagles) prepare for the 2024 Amputee Football African Cup of Nations (AAFCON), scheduled to hold in Cairo, Egypt from April 18 to 26.
A total of sixteen African teams will be vying for top honours and it would also decide which teams will qualify for the WAFF World Cup 2026.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, Paul Maduakor, President of the Nigeria Amputee Football Federation decried the lack of funds to help the federation prepare the Special Eagles for the upcoming AAFCON in Cairo.
“There is no funding, that has been a problem for us,” Maduakor said.”We have done everything possible to make sure we go to Cairo and make Nigeria proud, but lack of funding is slowing our preparations as we seek to book a qualification spot for the 2026 World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) World Cup.”
He further highlighted the importance of Nigeria participating in the AFFCON, noting that it will serve as a pathway for the WAFF World Cup 2026
“Participation is another thing, why the journey to Egypt is so important because it’s a pathway to the WAFF World Cup in Morocco,” Maduakor added.
“We are not taking this for granted because flying the Nigerian flag in a world tournament is not a loss. So we are not leaving it to our opponents, We prepared ourselves very, very well.
The AAFCON is an African tournament in association football for amputee people. It is organized by the Confederation of African Amputee Football (CAAF).
The upcoming tournament will be another important milestone to showcase the excellence of our players to the fans and the society in Africa and the world.
