‘Don’t play this match!’ — Fans freak out over Super Eagles’ Iran & Jordan friendlies

Super Eagles of Nigeria have found themselves at the centre of a storm on social media, Afrik Foot reports.

This follows when Nigeria’s verified Instagram account shared a cover photo promoting their upcoming March friendlies against Iran and Jordan, scheduled as part of a Four-Nation Invitational Tournament in Amman, Jordan.

The matches are set for March 27 against Iran and March 31 against Jordan, and were initially seen as key preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, the announcement has sparked widespread concern among fans, who expressed disbelief and fear given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The announcement came with a simple caption, “Welcome to March, Naija,” but for many Nigerian supporters, the timing was far from celebratory.

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A post shared by Nigeria Super Eagles (@ng_supereagles)

Fans quickly flooded the post, with many expressing their displeasure over the unease over playing in a region affected by war.

Super Eagles vs Iran and Jordan

The Super Eagles are set to take part in the Four-Nation Invitational Tournament in Amman, where they will play Iran on March 27 at the 17,000-capacity Amman International Stadium and Jordan on March 31 at the same venue.

The tournament also features Costa Rica and the host nation, Jordan, with matches designed as competitive warm-ups ahead of the World Cup.

Fans, however, are questioning the prudence of travelling to a region where conflict is ongoing.

Iran crisis: Middle East conflict escalation

The backdrop to the fan reactions is a major escalation in the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

In late February 2026, coordinated air and missile strikes by the U.S. and Israel targeted military installations and leadership infrastructure in Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran against allied positions in the Gulf.

The situation has raised international concern about civilian safety, airspace security, and regional stability, making the prospect of football matches in Amman a topic of heated discussion.

‘Don’t play this match’ – Nigerians react

When Nigeria’s social media accounted uploaded the image on its verified instagram feed, User @egindemola simply asked, “Is this playing?” while @obioflagos_ questioned, “Which Iran?”.

Some supporters took the situation more seriously: @gabbienergies pleaded, “Don’t play this match o…” and @uloma_25 wrote, “If you love our players, you will find safer grounds to host this match. West Asia is a war zone right now.” Others responded with sarcastic humour, such as @kayinajah, who joked, “Iran so when we beat them dem go forget Israel and Dubai come bomb Nigeria NFF take your time oh.”

Some fans expressed disbelief over the timing of the announcement, with @suave_always saying, “This didn’t need to be posted today ,”. Even lighter comments carried the tension, like @jasjalliva, who quipped, “Iranians dey mourn now, wait make dem mourn finish o,” and @momosade, who asked, “Which Iran una wan play?”

As the dates for the friendlies approach, all eyes will be on both the Super Eagles’ preparations and the situation in the Middle East, with fans hoping for safety and smooth execution of the matches.