The 2022 World Cup qualifiers might have been postponed but Nigeria’s Super Eagles are expected to be in action during the upcoming FIFA international window, www.aclsports.com has exclusively scooped.
In a bid to get the men’s national team busy next month, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have lined up international friendlies against strong African oppositions for the Super Eagles in June.
A technical official with the Super Eagles informed ACLSports that the Football Federation is already speaking with neighbours Cameroon as well as West African rivals Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire for possible friendly dates in June.
With the World Cup qualifiers now scheduled to commence in September, the NFF and Super Eagles technical crew headed by Gernot Rohr have agreed to keep the team busy with friendly games that could help the team prepare adequately for the games in September.
Talks are now at advanced stages with the three African Football powerhouses for games which should likely hold in Europe in June.
“It is important to get the group together even if the qualifying games were postponed. That’s why the Federation agreed with the technical crew to get these friendlies against top African oppositions,” the source told www.aclsports.com
“The games are likely to hold in Europe as it will be proximate to the players before they come home for their holidays. We hope the games will serve the purpose of which they are intended for.”
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Recall that the Super Eagles played two friendly matches against Algeria and Tunisia in Austria in October 2020, a move which prepared them for the penultimate window of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Nigeria will host Liberia in their first round of group games between September 1 and 4 before traveling to Cape Verde three days later for their second group fixture.
Winners of the ten groups will then advance to a straight knockout (home and away) ties to determine which five teams will qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.