Chijioke Gabriel
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have called off their planned international friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States next month.
According to ESPN on Monday, the decision follows Nigeria’s qualification for the CAF World Cup playoffs, which are set to take place in Morocco next month.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had earlier announced the two friendlies in September, with matches scheduled for November 14 at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium and November 18 at Citi Field in New York.
However, after last week’s victory over Benin Republic that secured Nigeria’s playoff spot, the NFF confirmed that the U.S. tour would no longer hold.
“We had a clause in the contract for the games covering this eventuality. Since we’ve qualified for the playoffs, we will not be going ahead with the matches. Our goal now is to concentrate fully on qualifying for the World Cup,”
an NFF official told ESPN.
The CAF World Cup playoffs are scheduled for November 13–16 in Morocco, where Nigeria will face Gabon in the semifinals.
The Super Eagles, currently ranked 41st in the world, are the highest-ranked among the four playoff teams, which include Cameroon, Congo DR, and Gabon. The winner between Nigeria and Gabon will face the victor of Cameroon vs. Congo DR for Africa’s lone ticket to the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico next March.
Beyond the World Cup qualification pathway, the playoff fixtures also serve as early preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Nigeria, runners-up at the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast, are drawn in Group C alongside Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda. They will kick off their AFCON campaign on December 23 in Fez.
Tickets for the canceled U.S. friendlies had already gone on sale, but ESPN reports that refund procedures will be announced shortly.
For now, Nigeria’s focus remains singular — securing a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.