Iran withdraw from Nigeria friendly as NFF considers Europe for Super Eagles v Jordan

Nigeria Super Eagles’ planned international friendlies against Iran and Jordan during the March international window have been thrown into uncertainty, Afrik-Foot reports.

This is after Iran withdrew from the proposed tournament due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Nigeria had been scheduled to take part in a four-nation invitational tournament in Amman, Jordan, later this month. The Super Eagles were originally set to face Iran on March 27 before meeting hosts Jordan on March 31, with Costa Rica also part of the mini-competition.

The matches were intended to give Nigeria crucial preparation time during the March FIFA international window as the national team continues its rebuilding process and prepares for future competitive fixtures. For the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the tournament represented an opportunity for the Super Eagles to test themselves against varied opposition while maintaining match fitness.

However, the political and military tensions across the Middle East have disrupted those plans.

The crisis escalated after the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive operation against Iran on February 28, triggering retaliatory actions across the region. Several countries in the Gulf and surrounding areas have since faced missile and drone strikes, forcing the closure of airspaces and raising major security concerns.

Those developments have now directly affected sporting events in the region, including the proposed international tournament involving Nigeria.

Nigeria: Super Eagles vs Jordan friendly seeks new venue

Nigerian journalist Colin Udoh revealed that organisers are already working on alternative plans after Iran confirmed it will no longer participate in the mini-tournament.

Udoh wrote: ‘An NFF source tells me the mini-tournament that the Super Eagles were scheduled to play this month will be relocated, possibly to Europe, due to the situation in the Middle East. But Iran will no longer participate.”

With the withdrawal of the Iranian national team, the original four-nation tournament format now appears unlikely to go ahead.

Instead, organisers are considering staging a single friendly match between Nigeria and Jordan at a neutral venue in Europe if the tournament structure cannot be maintained.

Udoh added: “However, in the event that a tournament is not possible, organizers are working on a single game between Nigeria and Jordan with location also in Europe.”

The NFF has not yet taken a final decision on the new arrangement, but officials say discussions are ongoing while they monitor the evolving geopolitical situation.

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau confirmed that the federation still has some time to determine the next step.

“We are monitoring the situation for now, we still have three weeks,” Gusau said.

For Nigeria, securing at least one friendly match during the March international window remains a priority.

The Super Eagles are eager to get a friendly on the calendar for March, while the three-time African champions continue to await FIFA’s decision regarding a World Cup qualifying protest against the DR Congo.

With Iran now out of the picture and the Middle East deemed unsafe for the original venue, attention has turned to Europe as the most realistic option to ensure the Super Eagles still get valuable game time later this month.