Guinea-Bissau coach Emiliano Té has played down concerns over the condition of the 24 de Setembro Stadium pitch ahead of Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria.
The two sides will meet in their second Group L fixture at the 20,000-capacity stadium, with both looking to maintain their winning starts to the qualifiers. Guinea-Bissau defeated Tanzania 2-0 away from home, while Nigeria began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar in Uyo.
The condition of the pitch has attracted attention because Guinea-Bissau is currently experiencing its rainy season, with heavy rainfall capable of leaving the surface waterlogged and uneven.
Nigeria coach Eric Chelle acknowledged the potential challenge but said his team would focus on adapting to the conditions rather than dwelling on the state of the pitch.
“I don’t want to say whether the pitch is good or the pitch is bad. We just need to stay focused on our game. We have to manage, and we will see how it is during the training session too before the game,” Chelle said.
Té, who replaced Luis Boa Morte in 2025 after the former Portugal striker was sacked following a run of eight consecutive defeats, admitted that the pitch is not among the best but said the hosts have little control over the conditions.
“We are playing in Africa, and we know that our pitch is not one of the best, but it is what it is. It is what we have, and we cannot do anything about it,” Té said at the pre-match press conference.
“We also don’t like to play on it the way it is now, but we can’t control that because it is raining and they try their best to make it good.”
Tuesday’s fixture will be the fifth meeting between Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria. Guinea-Bissau recorded a 1-0 win over the Super Eagles in Abuja during the first leg of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, with Mama Baldé scoring the only goal.
Nigeria responded in the return fixture in Bissau, where Moses Simon converted a 30th-minute penalty to secure a 1-0 win for the Super Eagles.
