Nigeria’s Super Eagles have officially cancelled their scheduled international friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States, opting instead to focus on their upcoming World Cup playoff fixtures in Morocco next month.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the decision following the team’s qualification for the CAF World Cup playoffs after defeating Benin Republic last week.
The two friendly matches had been slated for November 14 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston and November 18 at Citi Field in New York.
However, ESPN reported on Monday that the NFF has invoked a clause in the match contracts allowing cancellation in the event of World Cup playoff qualification.
“We had a clause in the contract for the games covering this eventuality,” an NFF official told ESPN. “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.”
The playoffs, scheduled for November 13–16 in Morocco, will see Nigeria face Gabon in the semifinals.
The winner will go on to battle either Cameroon or Congo DR for Africa’s only ticket to the intercontinental playoff stage, which will take place in Mexico next March.
Currently ranked 41st in the world, Nigeria remain the highest-ranked team among the four playoff contenders.
READ ALSO: Super Eagles Rise to 41st in Latest FIFA Rankings, 5th in Africa
Beyond the immediate World Cup pursuit, the matches in Morocco also serve as early preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Super Eagles, runners-up at the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast, are grouped with Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda for the tournament, which kicks off on December 23 in Fez.
Meanwhile, tickets for the canceled U.S. friendlies had already gone on sale, but ESPN reports that refund procedures will be announced in due course.
With the United States tour shelved, Nigeria’s focus is now singular — securing a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.