The Mediterranean Knights of Libya have chosen the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, featuring an artificial pitch, to host the Super Eagles of Nigeria for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match on Tuesday, 15 October.

Libya to Face Nigeria on Artificial Turf in AFCON 2025 Qualifier

Previously known as the Hugo Chávez Stadium, the artificial pitch venue will set the stage for the matchday 4 encounter. Before that, both teams will clash in a matchday 3 encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, 11 October. The Uyo match is scheduled to kick off at 5 pm, while the game in Benina will start at 8 pm Nigerian time.

Nigeria currently leads the group with four points, following a 3-0 victory over Benin Republic in Uyo on Matchday 1 and a goalless draw against Rwanda in Kigali on Matchday 2. Meanwhile, Libya sits at the bottom of the group with just one point from two games, making the upcoming matches crucial for both teams as they vie for qualification.

Anthony Joshua‘s hopes of a rematch against Daniel Dubois are now in jeopardy two days after he was knocked out at Wembley.

Anthony Joshua’s Rematch With Daniel Dubois In Jeopardy After Knockout

Dubois retained his IBF world heavyweight crown in front of 96,000 fans as he floored Joshua four times, knocking him out in the fifth round.

AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn had disclosed that there is a rematch clause and that his fighter was likely to activate it in the aftermath of his Saturday defeat.

Hearn told DAZN: “I’m sure he’ll exercise that rematch clause, I think that’s a given. He’ll need a rest and it’s a dangerous fight. This guy’s growing in confidence all the time.

“He’ll believe he can hurt Dubois. He’ll believe he can beat him, but full credit to Daniel Dubois, he deserves all the credit tonight. It was a great performance from Daniel.”

Joshua has previously had double-headers against Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk, getting his own back against the former after a shock defeat in 2019.

However, Dubois’ promoter Frank Warren has rubbished claims of a rematch clause.

He told talkSPORT that Dubois does not have a guaranteed rematch clause in his contract, even though AJ apparently does.

In any case, he said that his camp would be open to discussing a second fight between the boxers.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German coach, Bruno Labbadia, as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s senior men’s national football team.

NFF Appoints Bruno Labbadia as New Super Eagles Coach

This announcement was made via the NFF’s official X account (formerly Twitter) early on Tuesday morning, following approval from the federation’s Executive Committee.

In a statement released by the General Secretary of the NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the decision to appoint Labbadia came after the Technical and Development Sub-Committee recommended the German coach for the position.

The statement reads, “The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.”

However, specific details regarding his contract duration, salary, and performance expectations were not disclosed.

The Super Eagles coaching position has been vacant since Finidi George stepped down after briefly managing the team following the departure of Jose Peseiro.

The Super Eagles are preparing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, with upcoming matches against Benin Republic on 7th September in Uyo and Rwanda three days later in Kigali.

The appointment of Labbadia, known for his coaching stints with several Bundesliga clubs, marks a significant shift in the NFF’s quest to secure consistent and high-quality leadership for the national team as they aim for a successful AFCON campaign and World Cup qualification.