Fashola wants Nigeria to submit 2026 Fifa World Cup bid in conjunction with Morocco

NIGERIA has been urged to submit a bid to host the 2026 Fifa World Cup in conjunction with Morocco as part of long-term plans to prove that the country has come of age and is capable of holding its own on the global stage.

Every four years, Fifa holds the World Cup and the 2018 and 2022 tournaments are being held in Russia and Qatar respectively. Later this year, Fifa will decide on who hosts the 2026 tournament and Morocco has already submitted a bid to host the event, with the main rival being a joint North American submission involving Canada, the US and Mexico.

Yesterday, minister of works, housing and power Babatunde Fashola, said that Nigeria should be submitting a joint bid alongside Morocco. Fifa will announce the winner of the 2026 World Cup bid on June 13 this year.

Mr Fashola said: "The indomitable spirit of the Nigerian will rise to the occasion and deliver a super tournament. Morocco are bidding to host the 2026 World Cup and Nigeria should have jointly bid with Morocco because we can do it.

“With the expanded format of the World Cup, it will now be too expensive for one country to host it. Like we did when we hosted the 2009 Fifa U17 World Cup, when the gauntlet is thrown at us, we will rise to the occasion."

On 2026, the World Cup will feature 48 countries, 16 more than the current 32. Mr Fashola said it would be an ideal event for Nigeria to clean up her house and welcome visitors from all around the world.