Brazil calls off friendly with Nigeria over bombings

The raging terror attacks by fundamentalist group, Boko Haram, in northern Nigeria have made the Brazilian national team cancel a planned high-profile friendly match with the Super Eagles.

The Super Eagles were due to play the former world champions in Nigeria during a FIFA friendly window in September but the recent bombings have forced the Brazilians to reconsider their proposed visit to Nigeria.


The Brazilian FA is reported to have settled for the Bafana Bafana of South Africa, but the match will be played either in Brazil or the USA on September 7.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) however said the Nigeria versus Brazil friendly would still hold as planned. An official of the football body told PUNCH Newspaper that the organisers had not given up on bringing the Samba Boys to Nigeria.

“The friendly has not been cancelled; the organisers are still hopeful of sorting out a few details in order to bring the Brazilians to Nigeria. It is actually Guinness, the Match arrangement and the agent that is putting the match together is confident it will hold,” the NFF official said.

Nigeria is looking to play a high-profile friendlies as coach Stephen Keshi continue to strengthen the team ahead of their crucial qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2014 World Cup.

Cancelled league games

The bombings in the north have also affected the hosting of league matches in the region. The Nigeria Premier League was forced to suspend the Week 28 match between Jigawa Golden Stars and Ocean Boys indefinitely due to the crisis in Kaduna. Both sides were scheduled to play in Jigawa on Wednesday.

Ocean Boys were forced to return to Abuja on Tuesday when they turned back from their journey to Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State.

The new date for the match has yet to be decided by the NPL.