NFF Cancels Super Eagles’ US Friendlies After Play-off Qualification

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the Super Eagles’ planned international friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States have been called off, following the team’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup play-offs.

NFF’s Director of Communications, Dr. Ademola Olajire, told The PUNCH on Monday that the decision was unavoidable, as the fixture dates now coincide with the CAF play-off schedule.

“Yes, we have cancelled it, and it is automatic,” Olajire said. “It’s bound to happen once we made it into the play-offs. There’s no way we could play the friendlies and still feature in competitive fixtures around the same time.”

The two exhibition games, arranged through FIFA match agent Jairo Pachón of Eurodata Sport, were originally slated for November 14 and 18 — with Venezuela expected to host Nigeria at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, and Colombia lined up for a clash at Citi Field Stadium in New York.

Both matches had been designed as part of the Super Eagles’ build-up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but the new schedule makes them unfeasible. CAF has fixed the World Cup play-offs for November 13 and 16 in Morocco, directly overlapping with the friendly window.

Nigeria’s qualification for the play-offs came after a dominant 4–0 victory over Benin Republic in Uyo during the last international break, powered by a Victor Osimhen hat-trick and a late goal from Frank Onyeka.

The result placed the Eagles among Africa’s four best runners-up, earning them a spot in the final qualification stage for the global tournament.

Under the current CAF format, the nine group winners automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while the four best second-placed teams compete in an additional mini play-off. The winner of that final play-off round will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs, providing one last chance for qualification.

According to CAF’s draw, Nigeria will meet Gabon in one semi-final, while Cameroon face DR Congo in the other. Both ties will be played on November 13, with the winners advancing to a final showdown on November 16.

The eventual winner will represent Africa in the intercontinental play-off series — the continent’s final pathway to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.