Nigeria confirms to play France friendly next year

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the Super Eagles will play France for the first time on June 3, 2009 in Saint Etienne.

The match is set just three days before its first World Cup qualifier against Kenya, local media reported Sunday.

NFF Media Officer Ademola Olajire on Saturday confirmed that Nigeria and France have reached an agreement for the match, adding that the game would help the Super Eagles prepare adequately for the Kenya match.

"The agreement for this match has been signed in Abuja," Olajire said.

The Super Eagles will host Kenya in a 2010 World Cup qualifier on June 6 and travel to Tunisia for another qualifier with the Carthage Eagles two weeks later, the Guardian reported.

Ademola said the NFF had intimated the players on the need to take all the games seriously, adding that all hands were on deck to ensure that everything was put in place before the last round of the qualifiers begins.

A source close to the NFF told The Guardian that the Super Eagles might play against West African rivals, Ghana, before the France friendly, as talks between both countries' Football Associations had reached an advanced stage.

He also disclosed that the NFF would soon sign a deal to play against Argentina on Aug. 12. He added that the financial aspect of the deal might scuttle the game.

Nigeria is drawn in the same World Cup qualifying group with Tunisia, Kenya and Mozambique.