Visa Delays NFF Delegation, As Golden Eaglets Battle USA

The Nigerian U-17 team, Golden Eaglets, may have to play their opening Group A match against USA today in Santiago, Chile, without the usual support from officials of NFF, who are said to be battling with visa problem back home.

Today’s Group A fixture of the 2015 FIFA cadet championship will take place at the famous Estadio Nacianal Julio Martinez Pradanos in the Chilean capital city, Santiago.

The Golden Eaglets are drawn in Group A alongside hosts Chile, Croatia and the United States of America. They are hoping to defend the title won two years ago at the United Arab Emirates.

Chile is four hours behind Nigeria, which means today’s opening match (17.00 local time), will be played at 9 pm Nigerian time.
An official of the NFF told The Guardian in a telephone chat yesterday that they were still battling to meet some conditions given by the Chilean embassy in Nigeria for their visa request to be granted.

They are yet to give us visa, but hopefully, everything will be resolved soon so that we can be on ground to support the boys in the second game against the host, Chile, on October 20,” the NFF official said.
The Golden Eaglets have won the World title four times since the championship started in 1985 in China.

The Eaglets lifted the trophy in 1985 tournament sponsored by Kodak (when it was known as the U-16 tournament). They won it a second time at Japan ‘93, while Nigeria’s third victory came at Korea 2007 before the last triumph at UAE in 2013, making the Eaglets the first team ever to win the junior world cup four times.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1991, 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2011.
As the 2015 edition begins today, World Football governing body (FIFA) says he Golden Eaglets are among the favourites to lift the title.