Lagos is set to become the centre of a major celebration of African football history and creative talent as the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, partners with TopTier Sports Management and What Media Group to stage a landmark Legends Football Match on November 8, 2026, at Onikan Stadium.
The event will mark the 30th anniversary of Nigeria’s historic 1996 Olympic gold medal-winning Super Eagles squad, while also celebrating a generation of players whose achievements helped place African football firmly on the global stage. The programme will bring together football icons from Africa and beyond as part of CANEX WKND 2026, Afreximbank’s flagship platform supporting Africa’s creative and cultural industries.
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The 1996 Olympic triumph remains one of the defining moments in African football. Nigeria’s golden generation had already captured the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations title and made a memorable appearance at the 1994 FIFA World Cup before reaching the summit in Atlanta two years later. Their Olympic gold became a powerful symbol of African sporting excellence and continues to inspire new generations of players across the continent.
The Legends Football Match will build on that legacy by connecting the achievements of African sporting pioneers with new opportunities for athletes and creatives. Afreximbank says the event will demonstrate how football, entertainment, culture and business can work together to strengthen Africa’s creative economy and create new pathways for talent.
Temwa Gondwe, Director of Creatives and Diaspora at Afreximbank, said the 1996 Super Eagles demonstrated the strength of African talent on the international stage. He described the Legends Game as more than a celebration of the past, highlighting its potential to support conversations around the commercialisation and empowerment of African athletes and creatives globally.
For TopTier Sports Management Founder and CEO Chichi Nwoko, the event is also an opportunity to look ahead. The company sees the gathering as a platform to honour the players who shaped Nigerian football while encouraging greater investment in structures that can help African athletes build sustainable careers during and after their playing days.
The event will feature several members of Nigeria’s celebrated football generation, including Mutiu Adepoju, Garba Lawal, Daniel Amokachi, Victor Ikpeba, Finidi George, Ben Iroha and Alloy Agu, alongside other football personalities from Africa and beyond.
Beyond the match itself, the event is expected to bring together football supporters, creative professionals, businesses, media organisations and the wider public. Its organisers see the occasion as an opportunity to showcase Lagos as a major destination for Africa’s sports, entertainment and creative industries.
CANEX WKND 2026 is designed to connect African creative entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, artists, brands and industry leaders with markets, financing and opportunities for collaboration. By bringing a major football celebration into the programme, the Legends Match adds sport to a wider conversation about Africa’s cultural influence and economic potential.
The match is also expected to support Lagos’ growing profile as a hub for major cultural and entertainment events, with opportunities to generate activity across tourism, hospitality, media, entertainment and related sectors.
As Nigeria prepares to welcome some of the continent’s most recognisable football legends back to the field, the Legends Football Match will offer more than a nostalgic look at a celebrated era. It will celebrate what African football has achieved while creating space to consider how the next generation of African athletes and creatives can build on that legacy. The event will take place on November 8, 2026, at Onikan Stadium in Lagos as part of CANEX WKND 2026.
