Portugal have proposed an international friendly match against the Super Eagles of Nigeria as part of their build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to sources, the friendly has been pencilled in for June 6, with Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon, expected to host the encounter. While the date has been tentatively agreed, final confirmation of the venue and match logistics is still being discussed.
Talks are ongoing between the Nigeria Football Federation and the Portuguese Football Federation, with both federations working towards finalising the details of the fixture in the coming weeks. Officials on both sides are understood to be optimistic that an agreement will be reached.
The proposed friendly comes on the back of Nigeria’s impressive showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles delivered a series of eye-catching performances that enhanced their growing reputation on the international stage. Those displays appear to have drawn interest from several top footballing nations seeking strong opposition ahead of the World Cup.
For Portugal, the game would serve as a valuable test against a physically strong and tactically disciplined African side as they continue preparations for the global tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The last meeting between both countries ended in disappointment for Nigeria, as Portugal recorded a commanding 4–0 victory in an international friendly played in November 2022. On that occasion, Bruno Fernandes was among the scorers, alongside Gonçalo Ramos and João Mário, as the former European champions dominated the contest.
A rematch would offer the Super Eagles an opportunity to measure their progress against elite European opposition and potentially settle old scores, while also helping the coaching crew assess the squad ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers and international commitments.
If confirmed, the fixture would rank among Nigeria’s most high-profile friendly matches in the current international window and underline the Super Eagles’ status as one of Africa’s leading football nations heading into the 2026 World Cup cycle.
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