Rwanda’s national football team, the Amavubi, will arrive in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash with Nigeria.
A one-man advance party is expected in Lagos on Monday, while the full delegation will land aboard a RwandAir flight at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday before connecting to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, at 4:00 p.m.
The Matchday 7 fixture, scheduled for Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, is crucial for both teams as they trail group leaders South Africa. Before FIFA’s pending decision on South Africa’s use of an ineligible player against Lesotho in March, Bafana Bafana top the group with 13 points. Rwanda and Benin Republic are tied on eight points, Nigeria sit fourth with seven, Lesotho have six, and Zimbabwe remain bottom with four.
Victory for either side in Uyo could prove decisive, particularly if South Africa are sanctioned, which would see Lesotho move up to nine points.
The match comes five months after Nigeria defeated Rwanda 2-0 in Kigali during Matchday 5. It also revives memories of Rwanda’s 2-1 win over the Super Eagles in Uyo during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers—a result that failed to secure Amavubi a ticket, as Benin Republic advanced alongside Nigeria.
After Saturday’s clash, Rwanda will host Zimbabwe in Matchday 8, while Nigeria will travel to Bloemfontein to face South Africa.
