The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has opted to cancel the planned international friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia next month, following the Super Eagles’ qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs, Footynaija.com reports.
According to reliable sources within the federation, the decision was reached during a recent executive meeting at the Sunday Dankaro House in Abuja.
The friendly matches, initially scheduled for November 14 and 18 in the United States, were scrapped after it became clear that the fixtures would clash with the World Cup playoff dates in Morocco.
An NFF official, according to a Guardian report, explained that a contractual clause already provided for cancellation should Nigeria advance to the playoffs.
The Super Eagles will now face Gabon in the playoff semi-final on November 13, with the winner set to play either Cameroon or DR Congo in the final on November 16. Both matches will be played in Morocco, serving as the final qualifying phase before the inter-confederation playoffs in March 2026.
CAF has confirmed that the four best second-placed teams from the African qualifiers will compete for a single intercontinental slot. Should Nigeria prevail, they are expected to be among the seeded teams in the next stage, requiring only one more win to confirm their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.