NFF Slams Benin Rep FA Over Wrong Anthem

In the wake of Nigeria’s 2-1 loss against the Benin Republic in their fourth game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Monday, the Nigeria Football Federation has lashed out at the Beninoise Football Federation for mixing up Nigeria’s national anthem before the kick-off of the match,

Before the Eagles were shocked by their neighbours, the team had sparked reactions across Nigeria as the players sang along to the old national anthem, which rang around the Felix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Benin Republic’s adopted home ground.

The new anthem was played during Nigeria’s previous game of the qualifying series against South Africa in Uyo last Friday.

According to a statement released by NFF’s Director of Media and Communications, Ademola Olajire, after the game, the NFF handed a recording of the new national anthem of Nigeria to the Benin FA authorities at the Match Coordination Meeting in Abidjan on Sunday evening.