Nigeria to Face Jordan in March Friendly as Super Eagles Begin Rebuild

The Nigeria senior national football team will take on the Jordan national football team in an international friendly scheduled to take place in Amman between March 23 and 31, 2026, following an agreement reached by both football federations.

Jordan, who have secured qualification for their first-ever appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, are expected to use the fixture as part of their final preparations for the global showpiece. The Middle Eastern side have been drawn to face African opposition in the tournament, including the Algeria national football team, making the clash against Nigeria a valuable test.

For Nigeria, the friendly presents an important opportunity to rebuild and recalibrate after narrowly missing out on World Cup qualification. Head coach Eric Chelle is expected to use the encounter to assess emerging talents and reshape the senior squad as the Super Eagles begin preparations for future competitions.

Nigeria’s World Cup hopes were dashed after a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to the DR Congo national football team in the African qualifying playoffs held in Morocco. However, the Nigeria Football Federation has continued to pursue the matter off the pitch.

In December, the federation lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during the playoffs. Reports indicate that a decision on the case is expected on February 16, 2026.

Should FIFA rule in Nigeria’s favour, the Super Eagles could yet be reinstated into the inter-confederation qualifying playoffs scheduled to take place next month in Mexico. Until then, the March friendly against Jordan offers Chelle’s side a timely chance to stay competitive, build cohesion, and keep momentum amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding their World Cup status.

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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