Kaduna Opens Doors for Sand Eagles’ AFCON Qualifying Preparations

Posted : 25 September 2026

Kaduna State is set to provide the platform for the Super Sand Eagles’ preparations for their 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, reinforcing its growing involvement in the development of the sport.

The state will host the national team as it intensifies preparations for a crucial second-round qualifying tie against Ghana.

The Super Sand Eagles are scheduled to face the West Africans in a two-leg encounter, with the first leg billed for Oct. 9–11 and the return fixture set for Oct. 16–18.

The winner of the tie will advance in the qualification race for the continental finals in Senegal, where the competition will also serve as Africa’s qualifying route to the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

Kaduna’s decision to host the national team comes as the state continues to position sports as a vehicle for youth engagement and talent development under Gov. Uba Sani.

The arrangement also highlights the increasing attention being given to beach soccer beyond its traditional centres, with Kaduna emerging as one of the locations seeking to provide opportunities for young players to develop in the sport.

Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles bring significant continental experience to the qualifying campaign, having won the Beach Soccer AFCON twice and represented the country at several FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup tournaments.

Their latest qualification challenge assumes added importance following Nigeria’s absence from recent editions of the continental competition, making the Ghana tie an important hurdle in the team’s return to the African stage.

Kaduna’s involvement is also coming against the backdrop of the expansion of beach soccer across the country.

The Nigeria Beach Soccer League has identified Kaduna, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and other locations as emerging centres capable of contributing to the growth of the sport.

Stakeholders believe sustained investment could provide more opportunities for young players while creating avenues for former national-team players, coaches, referees and administrators to pass their experience to emerging talents.

Attention is also increasingly turning to women’s beach soccer, with plans being discussed for awareness camps in Lagos, Kebbi, Abuja and Kaduna, alongside demonstration matches involving female footballers.

There are also proposals for a maiden Nigerian Women’s Beach Soccer Cup featuring teams from the six geopolitical zones, an initiative aimed at widening participation in the sport.

For Kaduna, hosting the Super Sand Eagles presents an opportunity to combine the national team’s high-level preparations with grassroots engagement and further strengthen the state’s profile as a sporting destination.

The programme is therefore expected to serve a dual purpose, supporting Nigeria’s immediate quest for continental qualification while contributing to the longer-term development and visibility of beach soccer in Kaduna and across the country.

Kaduna Opens Doors for Sand Eagles’ AFCON Qualifying Preparations

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