The Super Eagles will take on Venezuela in an international friendly at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium on Friday, November 14.
The match Nigeria’s first outing at the Houston venue serves as part of the team’s final preparations ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
This will be a rematch of the sides’ meeting on 14 November 2012, when the Super Eagles secured a 3–1 win in Miami, thanks to goals from Brown Ideye, Nosa Igiebor, and Ogenyi Onazi.
For Venezuela, the friendly is a quick return to Houston, where they previously played Guatemala to a 0–0 draw earlier in 2024.
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With World Cup qualification decided before the November fixture, coach Eric Chelle is expected to use the match to test tactical options and give fringe players a chance to stake a claim for AFCON.
Editorial
We view the Super Eagles’ friendly against Venezuela as a smart tactical move a chance to recalibrate, to sharpen squad cohesion, and to build momentum ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. This match is more than a fixture; it is a rehearsal for opportunity.
We believe that the timing is ideal. With World Cup qualification settled, this friendly offers coach Eric Chelle the freedom to experiment without risk, to rotate his squad and observe players in match conditions. It’s a stage where strategies can be tested, ambitions can be displayed, and players on the periphery can make a case for themselves.
We understand that match dynamics shift in preparation games. The intensity may differ, but the stakes have not disappeared. The Super Eagles must treat this not as a mere warm-up, but as a proving ground—a place to crystallise formations, build rhythm, and foster cohesion in advance of AFCON.
We see this as also a nod to the diaspora and fanbase abroad. Playing in Houston acknowledges the global support for Nigerian football and provides a neutral stage where the team can connect with international audiences. It’s a valuable reminder that football’s reach extends far beyond our own borders.
We hold firm to the view that this friendly must serve a dual purpose: restoration and progression. It should allow players to shake off disappointment, but also prompt them to step forward. From this point, we continue believing in Nigeria’s potential at AFCON—not as a hope, but as an expectation. And this match, in Houston, is a step toward proving that belief was well placed.
Did You Know?
- Nigeria’s last match in the United States before this friendly was a 2–2 draw with Mexico in Houston on 31 May 2013, during their time as Africa Cup of Nations champions.
- Venezuela has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup, making this friendly part of their efforts to rebuild morale after a difficult qualification campaign.
- The 2012 friendly in Miami was the only previous meeting between the two national teams, and it was played on the same date November 14 as the upcoming fixture.
- Shell Energy Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo, will host its first Nigerian national team match with this friendly.
- The match may offer a rare stage for fringe Nigerian players to earn AFCON selection, as coach Chelle is expected to rotate the squad and test tactical formations.
