The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the Super Eagles will face Venezuela and Colombia in international friendly matches scheduled for November 2025 in the United States of America.
The first game will be against Venezuela on Friday, November 14, at the Shell Stadium in Houston, Texas. Kick-off is 8:00 p.m. local time, which corresponds to 2:00 a.m. on November 15 in Nigeria.
Four days later, on Tuesday, November 18, the Eagles will take on Colombia at Citi Field Stadium in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York. That encounter is set for 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which will be 1:00 a.m. on November 19 in Nigeria.
The fixtures mark another opportunity for Nigeria to test itself against South American opposition. The team last played in the United States in the summer of 2022 when they lost 2-1 to Mexico in Dallas, with Cyriel Dessers scoring their only goal. They also fell 1-0 to Ecuador in New Jersey during that same tour.
For Venezuela, the game provides a chance to continue building their programme after narrowly missing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They finished two points short of the required tally in South America’s qualifying campaign.
Colombia, however, secured their place at the 2026 finals and will use the match to fine-tune their squad ahead of the tournament, which will be staged in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Facing them will test Nigeria’s depth and readiness against a World Cup-bound side.
The Super Eagles are still navigating their own World Cup qualification campaign. They will face Lesotho on October 10 and the Benin Republic on October 14 in crucial Group C fixtures before the friendlies in the USA. Both games could prove decisive in determining their qualification chances.
Nigeria currently sit third in their group, six points behind leaders South Africa with only two games remaining. Failure to secure maximum points in October would put their chances of reaching the 2026 finals in serious doubt.
However, FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against South Africa for allegedly fielding an ineligible player. Should sanctions apply, Nigeria’s prospects could improve depending on the final ruling.
Regardless of the qualification outcome, the November friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia are seen as important matches for squad building and international exposure, as the Eagles continue efforts to re-establish themselves among Africa’s elite teams.
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