The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially announced a shift in the date for the Super Eagles’ pre-AFCON 2025 friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt. Originally set for Sunday, December 14, the highly anticipated clash will now take place on Tuesday, December 16.
According to the NFF, the adjustment was prompted by FIFA’s directive allowing clubs to retain their players until Monday, December 15 before releasing them for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. With teams unable to access their full squads earlier, the friendly had to be pushed back.
In addition to the new date, the match has been reclassified as a practice game, giving both sides the flexibility to use more than the standard five substitutes. This setup is expected to help the coaching crews experiment with tactics, assess player fitness, and fine-tune strategies ahead of the tournament.
The encounter will take place at the Cairo International Stadium, kicking off at 8pm Egypt time (7pm Nigeria time).
As preparations intensify, the Super Eagles look ahead to a competitive campaign in Group C, where they will face 2004 champions Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania. Nigeria opens their AFCON journey on Tuesday, December 23, against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars at the Complexe Sportif de Fes. They will then meet Tunisia on Saturday, December 27, before wrapping up their group-stage fixtures against Uganda on Tuesday, December 30.
