The Nigerian Super Eagles were compelled to carry out an emergency landing in Luanda, Angola after their ValueJet aircraft’s windscreen cracked mid-air during the return journey from Polokwane, South Africa.
Gatekeepers News reports that the team had just secured a 2-1 away victory over Lesotho and were heading back to Uyo when the incident transpired.
According to a Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) statement, the plane stopped in Luanda for refuelling. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot noticed a crack in the windscreen and elected to turn back, landing safely.
The federation said, “The pilot did well to guide the aeroplane safely back to the airport in Luanda.”
NFF also confirmed that the same aircraft had been used for the outbound trip without incident and that the crack appeared on the return leg.
Efforts are now underway to fly a replacement aircraft from Lagos to Luanda, obtain the necessary overflight and landing permissions, and transport the delegation onward to Uyo.
Despite the delay, the Super Eagles are still expected to arrive in time for Tuesday’s2026 World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic in Uyo.
Nigeria occupies third place in Group C with 14 points, trailing Benin (17 pts) and South Africa (15 pts).
