Nigeria will face Venezuela in an international friendly at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, United States, on Friday, November 14, as part of their build-up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, newsmen report.
The match will be staged at the home of Houston Dash and Dynamo, who confirmed the announcement on their website and social media on Thursday (yesterday).
In a post on X, the club wrote, “Tickets for the international friendly between Venezuela vs Nigeria are live now!”
According to the club, season ticket holders of Houston Dynamo and Dash were granted early access to tickets from Wednesday, before sales opened to the public the following day via
SeatGeek.
The fixture will be Nigeria’s first appearance at Shell Energy Stadium and their first return to Houston since May 2013, when they drew 2-2 with Mexico shortly after lifting the Africa Cup of Nations.
It will also be their fourth meeting with Venezuela, with the Super Eagles holding a perfect record in the fixture.
The last encounter ended 3-1 in favour of Nigeria in Miami in November 2012, courtesy of goals from Brown Ideye, Nosa Igiebor and Ogenyi Onazi.
Venezuela will be making their second trip to Houston in two years, having last played Guatemala in a goalless draw at the same venue in March 2024.
The La Vinotinto wrapped up their World Cup qualification campaign earlier this week with defeats to Argentina and Colombia, and remain the only South American nation that has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup, finishing eighth, two points behind Bolivia, which made the Inter-Confederation play-offs in the 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying series.
For Nigeria, the Houston friendly comes just weeks after their final group fixtures in the CAF World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin in October.
Eric Chelle’s side are currently third in Group C, chasing what would be a seventh appearance at the global finals if they pick the ticket.
With qualification expected to be decided by then, Chelle will use the game to sharpen tactics, test squad depth, and allow fringe players to push for selection ahead of December’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Nigeria are drawn in Group C of the tournament alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania, and will be looking to go one better after finishing runners-up to Ivory Coast in the previous edition.
The Shell Energy Stadium clash is therefore set to serve as a vital tune-up for the Super Eagles, while Venezuela will see the contest as a chance to measure themselves against African opposition.
Punch
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