The Super Eagles' crucial journey to Uyo for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic has been significantly delayed following an emergency landing caused by a cracked windscreen on their chartered ValueJet aircraft. The incident occurred shortly after the team's plane departed Luanda, Angola, where it had made a routine refuelling stop. The pilot swiftly detected the crack in the windscreen about 25 minutes into the flight and safely guided the aircraft back to Luanda airport, ensuring the safety of all onboard, including players, officials, and government delegates.

This same aircraft had previously transported members of the Nigerian delegation to Polokwane, South Africa, for their 2-1 victory over Lesotho on Friday morning. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the malfunction and is now working tirelessly with ValueJet Airline and key federal authorities, including the Minister of Aviation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Chief of Staff to the President, to resolve the situation. Efforts are currently focused on securing overflying and landing permits for an alternative aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick up the delegation in Luanda, and transport them to Uyo.

The delay comes at a particularly critical juncture for the Super Eagles, who are facing a must-win encounter against Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Tuesday. Nigeria currently occupies third place in Group C of Africa's qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, trailing Benin (17 points) and South Africa (15 points). With only the group winners automatically securing a spot in the newly-expanded tournament, a victory is absolutely essential for Nigeria to keep their qualification hopes alive. Failure to qualify would mark a significant setback, especially after missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar and never having progressed beyond the last 16 in previous World Cup appearances. The squad for these qualifiers includes prominent players like Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen, and Ademola Lookman, highlighting the high stakes for the team.