- Address: Uyo
- Country: Nigeria
- Capacity: 30,000
- Opened: 2014
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: Akwa United (football)
Extra stadium info – Godswill Akpabio International Stadium
The construction of the stadium, formerly known as the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, started in 2012. It opened as one of the largest sports venues by capacity in Nigeria. The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, which is also used for athletics, became the largest sports venue by capacity in the city of Uyo. It is named after Godswill Obot Akpabio, who was born in Nigeria in 1962.
The national football team of Nigeria
The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is sometimes used by the national football team of Nigeria, nicknamed Super Eagles. In 1994, the national football team of Nigeria played their first-ever FIFA World Cup game in the United States. That year, the Super Eagles became the first team from Africa in the top five of the FIFA Men’s World Ranking. They faced Bulgaria in their first world championship game. The Super Eagles won the match, which took place in the city of Dallas in front of 44,000 spectators, 3-0. Rashidi Yekini scored the first-ever FIFA World Cup goal for Nigeria.
Rashidi Yekini
Rashidi Yekini scored 37 goals in 62 matches for the national football team of Nigeria. He scored his first goal for Nigeria in a 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kenya in 1985. Rashidi Yekini played professional football in Nigeria, the Côte d’Ivoire, the Portuguese Republic, the Hellenic Republic, Spain, the Swiss Confederation, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. He ended his senior football career in 2005. Rashidi Yekini died in 2012 at the age of 48.
Akwa United
Akwa United Football Club use the venue named Godswill Akpabio International Stadium for home games. The football club was founded in 1996 under a different name. Akwa United FC played their first-ever Nigerian top-flight football league match in 2007. That league season, they finished 14th place. Akwa United finished 17th place in their second Nigerian top-flight football league season.
