Akin Ayomide
The decision by world football-governing body, FIFA that Clubs can hold on to their players until Monday, 15 December 2025 before they are released for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco has necessitated the postponement of the pre-AFCON friendly between Nigeria and Egypt.
Seven-time winners Egypt and three-time winners Nigeria were scheduled to clash in a tune-up game in Cairo on Sunday, 14 December, in line with an earlier regulation that ruled that players be released earlier.
The game has now been moved to Tuesday, 16 December as a result of the regulation.
Aside from the postponement, the game will now be a practice match in order to allow the two teams to make use of more than five substitutes in the encounter, which will kick off at 8pm Egypt time (7pm Nigeria time) at the Cairo Stadium.
The Super Eagles are in Group C of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals alongside 2004 champions Tunisia, 1978 runners-up Uganda, and Tanzania. Nigeria’s first match is on Tuesday, 23 December against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars at the Complexe Sportif de Fes, where they will also tackle Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles (Saturday, 27 December) and the Cranes of Uganda (Tuesday, 30 December).
The Pharaohs, who hosted the finals in 2019, are in Group B alongside 1996 hosts and winners South Africa, 2010 hosts Angola, and Zimbabwe. Their matches will be at the Stade d’Agadir.