Super Eagles: Time and Where to Watch Nigeria vs Saudi Arabia

A senior international friendly game between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia will take place at Portimo.

The game will be played in Portimonense S.C.'s home stadium, the Estadio Municipal de Portimo, in the Algarve, which has seating for close to 10,000 fans.

The three-time African champions defeated Sao Tome and Principe 6-0 in their 2023 AFCON final-day qualification match in Uyo less than a month ago.

At St James' Park last month, Saudi Arabia suffered back-to-back losses to Costa Rica and South Korea during Roberto Mancini's first international break as coach. 

Since their elimination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage last year, the host team has now lost six straight games. 

The Green Falcons, who hired Roberto Mancini as their new coach in August, will be aiming for their first victory.

Mancini has already released his 31-man roster for this week's match against Nigeria and next week's match against Mali.

Thirty-one Saudi Arabian players were called up by the former Manchester City manager, with Al-Hilal providing the most with 12.

They will now play a Nigerian team with one of the strongest offensive lineups in all of football, including Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Taiwo Awoniyi, Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman, and Gift Orban. 

Another Saudi loss is anticipated, given that Nigeria is the clear favorite.

The Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia, who take on the Mali Eagles four days later at the same location, have only faced Nigeria once at the senior level, and that game was a friendly.

The Super Eagles' head coach, Jose Peseiro, has already invited 25 players to camp in preparation for the upcoming friendlies against Mozambique and Saudi Arabia.

Terem Moffi of Nice was invited despite being benched for Nigeria's most recent match against Sao Tome and Principe.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru received his first invitation to the team from Peseiro while still playing club football for Turkish Super Lig club Hatayspor.

Following this week's match with Saudi Arabia, Nigeria will play Mozambique in another friendly the following week.

The Super Eagles' November 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying encounter against Lesotho will be prepared for with both of these games.

The history between the Super Eagles and Saudi Arabia is not extensive.

Only twice will these two nations face off at the highest level of international competition.

The most recent game between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia took place in 2010 in Austria and finished in a scoreless tie.

The sole prior meeting was also a friendly match, held on May 25, 2010, at the Alpenstadion in Wattens, Austria, as part of the Eagles' preparations for the FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa. 

Nwankwo Kanu led the Super Eagles in that scoreless contest. 

He is one of just two players to have appeared for Nigeria at three different FIFA World Cups.

Jose Peseiro, the head coach of the Super Eagles at the moment, was that day's Saudi Arabian coach.

FIFA has already named Portuguese official Luis Godinho as the official referee for the international exhibition game between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Compatriots Bruno Jesus, Tiago Costa, and Miguel Noguera will serve as Godinho's first, second, and fourth officials, respectively.

Also nominated by FIFA were Helder Carvalho and Bruno Vieira, who will work together to manage the situation in the VAR room.

The game between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia will take place on Friday, October 13, 2023.

It will kick off at 5 PM Nigerian time and be available on the official YouTibe platform of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).