The Nigeria national football team will now play their upcoming international friendlies against Jordan national football team and Iran national football team in Turkey later this month after organisers moved the fixtures from Jordan due to rising tensions in the Middle East.
The matches were originally scheduled to take place in Amman, the capital of Jordan, but have been relocated to the coastal city of Antalya in Turkey because of security concerns and travel restrictions affecting the region.
Nigeria will begin their two-game schedule against Iran on Friday, March 27, before facing Jordan four days later on Tuesday, March 31.
Under the revised arrangement, the Super Eagles will meet Iran on the same day Jordan take on Costa Rica national football team. The series of friendlies will conclude on March 31 when Nigeria face Jordan, while Iran will battle Costa Rica.
The friendly matches are expected to provide the Super Eagles’ technical crew with another chance to assess players and fine-tune the squad ahead of future international competitions.
Meanwhile, Iran, Jordan and Costa Rica will also use the games to strengthen their squads as preparations gradually shift towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Although Iran have already secured qualification for the tournament, reports suggest the team could consider withdrawing due to the ongoing conflict involving the country and Israel, as well as the United States, one of the World Cup co-hosts.