Plans for a proposed invitational tournament involving the Nigeria national football team later this month have been thrown into doubt, with organisers considering relocating the event to Europe or cancelling it altogether.
The mini-tournament was initially scheduled to take place in Amman and was expected to feature Nigeria, the Jordan national football team, the Iran national football team and the Costa Rica national football team during the March FIFA international window.
Nigeria were slated to face Iran in their opening match before taking on hosts Jordan later in the tournament.
However, the competition has now been thrown into uncertainty following Iran’s withdrawal amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
With one of the participating teams pulling out, organisers are exploring alternative arrangements to salvage the event.
Reports suggest the tournament could either be moved to a neutral venue in Europe or cancelled entirely if logistical challenges persist.
If the mini-tournament fails to go ahead, discussions are ongoing about staging a single international friendly between Nigeria and Jordan instead. The match would also likely be played in Europe to avoid potential security concerns in the Middle East.
The March FIFA international window had been expected to provide valuable preparation for the Super Eagles as they continue to rebuild ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures.
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.
