Nigeria FA dismisses reports that it can't fly team to Zambia for qualifiers

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports that it cannot afford to fly the national team to Zambia for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers match in October.

The Federation’s president, Amaju Pinnick, told the media on Thursday that they are prepared to travel to Zambia and all contrary reports are lies.

“We have concluded arrangements on movement to and from Zambia. Any talk of being unable to go is a big lie,” Pinnick said.

NFF President Pinnick: “We have concluded arrangements on movement to and from Zambia. Any talk of being unable to go is a big lie.”

— The NFF (@thenff) September 28, 2016

He cited the report by the U.S. media Cable News Network (CNN) which published on Wednesday that an unnamed source in the NFF had disclosed that there is no money to fly the team for the qualifiers and they risk not participating in the 2018 World Cup.

The NFF said the report is “baseless, misleading and despicable, not only against Nigerian football, but against the Nigerian nation”.

They acknowledged financial challenges but maintained that the situation will “never get to the point of Nigeria being unable to get its National Team to the venue of a competitive match or championship”.

The men’s national team Super Eagles will play against Zambia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Ndola on October 9, 2016.