Most Impressive Sporting Facilities in Nigeria Ranked

Nigeria has a whole host of spectacular football stadiums

Nigeria is home to some of the world’s greatest athletes, so it stands to reason that it should also be home to some of the best sporting facilities in the world. Whilst other countries may have more money pumped into their facilities, there is perhaps nowhere as proud of it as Nigeria. We’ve rounded up some of Nigeria’s most impressive sporting facilities, whether that’s because of their history and heritage, their state-of-the-art facilities, or some of the sporting events that have been held there in the past. So, without further ado, here are some of Nigeria’s great sports grounds.

The Moshood Abiola Stadium

The Moshood Abiola Stadium is probably Nigeria’s most famous sports stadium, having been used for many decisive football matches over the years. Most recently the stadium was in the news as it held the tense battle between Ghana and Nigeria as both teams played to try and secure a place in the World Cup Qualifiers. Despite Nigeria being the favorite to win, it was Ghana who would take home the crown. This sparked outrage in the crowd and led to some less-than-desirable behavior from Nigeria’s supporters. However, it seems that both teams have moved on from that and Nigeria are now setting their sights on a friendly game against Algeria. With the contest being held in Algeria, the home team has been performing well, but the odds are still close on all of the top betting sites. If you’re looking to place a bet on the action then SBO has provided an insight into some of the best sites to use and the offers that they have available for new sign-ups.

Lagos National Stadium

Next up is a mention of a stadium that was once truly great. The Lagos National Stadium has a capacity of 55,000 just 5000 less than the Moshood Abiola Stadium that we’ve just talked about. It’s thanks to this huge capacity that it too has been used a host for many major football matches including several FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, the 2000 AFCON final and most notably the 1980 AFCON final. It was in this last match that despite the official capacity of the stadium, some 85,000 people attended the ground to watch, quite a squeeze. As well as being a popular football stadium, the venue also has an Olympic-size swimming pool, a huge athletics facility, and space for rugby, wrestling, boxing, and volleyball too. Despite this, the stadium has been allowed to fall into disrepair since 2004. Nowadays you are more likely to find squatters there than international football players, which is a real shame. It would be wonderful if the National Sports Commission succeeds in its mission to bring Lagos National Stadium back to its original heights.

Teslim Balogun Stadium

Just across the road from the Lagos National Stadium is a stadium that’s proving just how important grassroots football is in Nigeria. The Teslim Balogun Stadium serves as the main stadium for First Bank FC and often plays host to youth tournaments, including the 2009 FA Cup Final. The stadium itself, as any football fan will have noticed, is named after Teslim Balogun, a true giant of Nigerian football. Despite its name, the stadium is also used for other sports, though football is certainly what it was primarily designed for.

Akwa Ibom International Stadium

The final spot on the list goes to the Akwa Ibom International Stadium. This stadium is one of Nigeria’s few all-seat stadiums, making it the perfect spot for those who enjoy watching sports in complete comfort. You’ll find this stadium in Uyo, as it serves as the home ground for the Nigerian Super Eagles. It’s by far the newest stadium on the list, with the build being finished in 2014. The architect, Julius Berger, was instructed to spare no expense in making this stadium one of true luxury and he achieved it. Berger based his design on the beautiful Allianz Arena, including 30,000 seats in his ultra-modern vision for Nigerian football. Of course, it’s not just football that you can watch at the stadium, it also plays host to many different sports as well as cultural events.