Egypt vs Nigeria friendly postponed

Egypt vs Nigeria Friendly Postponed to December 16 Due to FIFA Player Release Rule

The highly anticipated friendly match between Egypt and Nigeria has been officially postponed to December 16, Egyptian Football Association Vice President Khaled El-Darandaly confirmed on Friday.

The game was initially scheduled for December 14 as part of both countries’ final preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which runs from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

However, the fixture had to be rescheduled following FIFA’s clarification that clubs are only required to release players for international duty starting December 15. The new date ensures the full availability of key stars such as Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, and Nigeria’s Europe-based contingent.

Both teams will rely heavily on their foreign-based players, prompting the adjustment to avoid fielding weakened squads.

Egypt, seven-time African champions, have been drawn in Group B alongside South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe as they aim to win their first AFCON title since 2010. The Pharaohs were runners-up in 2017 and 2021, losing to Cameroon and Senegal respectively.

Nigeria, three-time African champions, are placed in Group C with Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Super Eagles are seeking redemption after finishing as runners-up in the last edition, losing 2–1 to hosts Côte d’Ivoire in the 2023 final.

Preparation plans are already underway for both sides. Egyptian coach Hossam Hassanbhas named a 28-man preliminary squad, with camp opening in Cairo on Wednesday.

Nigeria’s coach Eric Chelle released a 55-man provisional list earlier in the week, with the Super Eagles set to assemble in Egypt over the weekend before switching base to Morocco for their final AFCON buildup.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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