By Hosea Parah
Nigeria’s national amputee football team, the Special Eagles, have stepped up preparations for the 2026 World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) World Cup, scheduled to take place in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico, from November 13 to 22.
With just 16 days remaining before the tournament kicks off, Nigeria are working towards a competitive campaign at the global championship, which will feature 24 national teams.
The Special Eagles have been drawn in Group B alongside defending champions Turkey, European contenders Spain and fellow African side Egypt in what promises to be a challenging group-stage campaign.
The Nigerian team are currently undergoing intensive training at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja as they seek to build the fitness, tactical discipline and team cohesion required to compete against some of the world’s leading amputee football nations.
As part of their preparations, the Special Eagles played a friendly against Right Value Football Academy on October 21, with both sides settling for a 2-2 draw.
Nigeria will need to demonstrate consistency, discipline and tactical organisation to secure progression from a demanding group, with their encounters against Turkey, Spain and Egypt expected to play a decisive role in determining their chances.
The Special Eagles secured qualification for the competition after finishing fourth at the 2024 Confederation of African Amputee Football Nations Cup in Egypt.
The 2026 edition will mark Nigeria’s second appearance at the World Cup, following their debut in 2018, when Mexico also hosted the competition.
On the continental stage, Nigeria’s most notable achievement came at the 2019 African Nations Cup in Angola, where the Special Eagles reached their maiden final before settling for the runners-up position.
As preparations enter their final phase, the Nigerian side will be hoping to translate their training efforts into an improved performance on the global stage and make a strong impression at the tournament.