LAGOS HOSTS AFCON TROPHY AHEAD OF TOURNAMENT OPENING IN COTE D’IVOIRE

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The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy was presented to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ahead of the competition’s start in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire next year.

Arriving from Morocco, the trophy landed in Lagos on Thursday.

The Visa team, led by Vice President and Head of the West Africa Cluster Andrew Uaboi, presented the trophy to Sanwo-Olu.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved Visa as its official digital payment provider.

Sanwo-Olu, who accepted the trophy at the State House in Marina, stated that the symbolic action reaffirmed the value the country placed on talent development and that Nigerians anticipated thrilling matches and moments during the 2023 AFCON.

Sanwo-Olu predicted that the Super Eagles would win the title, claiming that the national side possessed the physical prowess required to win the competition. The governor stated that Nigeria would be proud of the Super Eagles, provided they selected the right players and prepared well.

He said: “AFCON may be a continental competition but the platform has grown over the years to be global brand. The world is patiently waiting for the opening match to kick off. We are looking forward to exciting moments when the competition starts in January. We are fully committed to making our team coming out strong and compete in the league.”

Even though AFCON is a worldwide brand, Sanwo-Olu stated that he anticipated that CAF would add a regional flair to the competition. He stated that the Federation ought to utilise native expertise to assist in many fields and improve the way the game is run.

The governor declared that Lagos will keep promoting the growth of regional football players and preserving the thrill of sports.

Uaboi expressed gratitude to Sanwo-Olu for accommodating the team and mentioned that Lagos was selected to host the trophy’s trip because of its status as a major sports hub in the nation.

The trophy will go to Egypt on Friday and make its way through all 24 of the participating nations before arriving in the host city of Abidjan.