Following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the first-ever winter World Cup billed for Qatar later this year, the team has lost N5.6bn FIFA money for qualifiers.
The Eagles, having appeared in six of the previous seven World Cups, were favoured to book a place at football’s showpiece event again after the first leg of their playoff tie finished 0-0 in Ghana on Friday.
However, they played 1-1 in Abuja on Tuesday, with the Black Stars booking their place at the Mundial on the away goal rule.
Black Stars stand-in captain, Thomas Party, gave his side the lead in the 10th minute with a long-range shot from the edge of the box.
Not long after, Watford defender William Troost-Ekong levelled the score from the penalty spot 12 minutes later, following an infringement on Ademola Lookman inside the box.
Their failure to qualify for Qatar 2022 World Cup has cost the country’s football a huge setback financially.
A huge sum of N5.6bn (€12.2m) is what the Eagles allowed to slip away from them on Tuesday at the Abuja stadium.
Nigeria was poised to receive the sum from FIFA if they qualified for the Qatar 2022 World Cup later this year.
