AIBEN Backs MiniFootball Association of Nigeria with N30m ahead of African Nations Cup

AIBEN Backs Nigeria Mini Soccer Team 'The Jaguar' With N30 million By Niyi Busari AIBEN Investment and Property Ltd., has handed the cheque of Thirty million (N30m) naira to the senior mini football national team of Nigeria in support of the team ahead of their African Mini-football Cup in Libya BSN reports. Minifootball is the new craze in global sports. Though, as old as regular football, the sport became an officially organised international sporting game under the auspices of the World Mini Football (WMF) in 2013. The game is a 6-aside football game that is played outdoor on a natural or artificial grass only nine players (six on the pitch), smaller goal post and a smaller field of about 46m×26m and 30 minutes duration each half with 10 minutes break. The Nigerian Mini football national team 'the Jaguar' are grouped in Group B alongside the 3rd best team in world Senegal, 2017 Mini football world cup cup host Tunisia, South Africa and Kenya in the oncoming African Nations Cup in Libya. The African Mini football Nations Cup tagged 'African Minifootball Cup' which will be hosted by Libya. Eleven countries will participate in this year's African Nations Cup which also serves as World cup qualifiers for the African Nations. All four teams in the semifinals have automatic qualification for the WMF Minifootball World Cup next year. Host Libya, Somalia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana are in group A. The Jaguar will leave the shore of this country for Libya on Friday as the opening ceremony and first game of the competition is scheduled for Saturday 5th May 2018 with host Libya slugging it out against Coted'Ivore . The Jaguar will play their first match against South Africa on Sunday 6th May 10:15 pm Nigerian time. Two days later on Tuesday, they will be facing Tunisia by 9pm, the following day, the Jaguar will lock horns with Kenya and the final game with Senegal by 9pm and 10:15 pm respectively. Mini football Association of Nigeria (MAN) president, Mr. Andy Elewere who spoke with www.bsnsports.com.ng at the send off dinner for the Nigerian National team held at Bentley Hotels Utako Abuja said: "I am happy to assemble first ever national Mini football team yo represent our dear country in the upcoming African Nations cup in Libya, we assembled this team in two months from football academies across the country and I believe they will do country proud by qualifying for the world cup coming up next year." MAN secretary general, Mr Emmanuel Zira promised that the association will organise a national league immediately they return from Libya. He also believed that the game will provide an opportunity for some football players to represent their country in the upcoming African Nations cup and the world cup.