'Maybe in the next 40 years'- Christ Ambassadors Pastor on Nigeria hosting the World Cup

The senior pastor of Christ Ambassadors church in Johannesburg, Idah Peterside, has claimed that Nigeria, as a country,  is incapable of hosting the FIFA World Cup. 

Nigeria has hosted the U-17 and U-20 FIFA World Cups but never hosted the senior edition of the most prestigious sporting tournament in the world. 

The most populous black nation in the world hosted the U-20 World Cup in 1999 before hosting the U-17 edition in 2009. 

However, despite hosting two age-grade competitions, the senior World Cup has continued to elude Nigeria. 

Peterside has now claimed that he does not see the country hosting the biggest sporting competition in the world anytime soon. 

The former Nigerian goalkeeper says the country lacks the infrastructure and facilities to host the World Cup right now. 

“On record presently, the only playing field which we have is a grass stadium, and it is the Uyo Stadium, but 20 anything is still very long; maybe in the next 40 years, we would have had some kind of stability,” Idah said on Channels TV. 

“This stadium must be working. We have the civic centre that had everything, such as the swimming pool, but these facilities are not being maintained,” he added.

While Nigeria does not have what it takes to host the World Cup, the biggest sporting competition will return to the African continent in 2030, 20 years after the first one took place on the continent. 

Morocco has been announced as joint-hosts with Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay for the 2030 edition. 

Morocco, Portugal and Spain are the main hosts, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will play their first game in their respective countries. 

The decision to make Morocco as joint-hosts means they will be the second African nation to host the World Cup after South Africa solely hosted it in 2010.