The much-awaited international friendly game between Nigeria's Super Eagles and the reigning world champions Argentina in the United States has been cancelled.
The scheduled friendly match was set to take place on March 26 in Los Angeles, USA.
This marks the second instance of the match between the West African and South American nations being cancelled. Initially planned to take place in China, the match was called off by Chinese authorities.
This decision came after Lionel Messi did not participate in a friendly match between Inter Miami and a Hong Kong Selected XI.
His absence led to significant criticism from fans, who had to be reimbursed by the game's organisers.
The former Barcelona captain explained that his absence was due to an injury he had sustained. However, the Chinese authorities found this explanation insufficient.
Why was Nigeria vs Argentina friendly in USA cancelled?
According to BBC Sport journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, the cancellation of the game between Nigeria and Argentina in the USA was attributed to insufficient time to process visas for the Nigerian delegation.
Okeleji highlighted the challenges faced by the organisers in securing timely visa approvals, leading to the unavoidable decision to call off the match.
This friendly would have marked the tenth encounter between the two nations.
To date, they have played a total of nine games, with Argentina emerging victorious in six, the Super Eagles securing two wins, and one match ending in a draw.
Who are Argentina playing next?
Following the cancellation of the match due to visa processing issues for the Nigerian delegation, the organisers acted swiftly to salvage the event.
Recognising the disappointment among fans and the desire to maintain the excitement of the scheduled fixture, they immediately began exploring alternatives.
In a proactive move, Costa Rica are likely to fill the void vacated by Nigeria and play the Central American country on the said day.
La Albiceleste will face El Salvador instead of the previously announced opponent, the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champion Ivory Coast, as stated by the Argentina Football Federation.
