Lagos: African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and TopTier Sports Management, in collaboration with What Media Group, have unveiled plans for the Legends Football Match to be held at the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) WKND 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria. The event, set for November 8, 2026, at Onikan Stadium, will feature celebrated football legends from Africa and around the globe. This match is part of the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Nigeria’s iconic mid-1990s Super Eagles squad, honoring their achievements in the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and their gold medal victory at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
According to African Press Organization, the Legends Football Match is a pivotal component of the CANEX WKND 2026, Afreximbank’s flagship initiative aimed at fostering the growth of Africa’s creative and cultural sectors. The event is anticipated to draw substantial attention from football enthusiasts, the creative sector, and the general public, alongside significant media coverage both locally and internationally.
At a recent press conference, Temwa Gondwe, Director of Creatives and Diaspora at Afreximbank, remarked on the impact of the 1996 Super Eagles, stating, “The 1996 Super Eagles did more than win Olympic gold; they re-wrote the global narrative, proving to the world that African talent is an unstoppable force. Today, the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture is the heartbeat of Africa’s creative economy. The Legends Game is more than a celebration of our glorious past – it is a strategic and formidable platform to discuss the future commercialization and empowerment of African athletes and creatives globally.”
Chichi Nwoko, Founder and CEO of TopTier Sports Management, emphasized the importance of the event, saying, “Thirty years ago, a generation of Nigerian footballers showed the world what African talent was capable of. The Legends Football Game is our way of saying thank you to them, and our chance to ask harder questions: what are we building for this generation and the next? We want to build the infrastructure that lets African athletes turn a playing career into a lasting one, on and off the field; this is a huge gap that must be addressed. That’s what this partnership with Afreximbank seeks to achieve.”
In addition to celebrating past achievements, the Legends Football Match aims to bolster CANEX WKND 2026’s mission of establishing Lagos as a premier hub for Africa’s creative industries. It seeks to illustrate how significant cultural and entertainment events can stimulate economic growth, tourism, investment, and global engagement.