Nigeria vs Portugal: Kick-off Time, Venue, TV Channel and Team News as Super Eagles Seek Revenge for 2022 Thrashing

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will conclude their June international break against a full-strength Portugal side on June 10, with kick-off scheduled for 8:45 p.m. Nigerian time at the Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria, Portugal. The fixture will be broadcast on NTA Sports 24 and AfroSports, as well as via various streaming services.

The match carries significant weight for Eric Chelle’s squad. Nigeria’s last competitive encounter with Portugal — a World Cup group-stage fixture on November 17, 2022, in Lisbon — ended in a comprehensive 4-0 defeat, with goals from Bruno Fernandes, Gonçalo Ramos, and João Mário. Emmanuel Dennis also missed a late penalty in that game, compounding a difficult evening for the Super Eagles. The June 10 fixture presents an opportunity to revise that narrative.

Beyond the question of revenge, Nigeria are also motivated by form preservation. Chelle’s side enter the game on a 12-game unbeaten run across all competitions, a sequence they will be keen to extend. The international break has been broadly positive: Nigeria delivered a record-breaking performance in the Unity Cup — their second consecutive such result — before drawing 2-2 with Poland, a match they led until a late equaliser from Przemysław Wiśniewski denied them a victory.

For Portugal, the fixture represents their final warm-up before the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway. Manager Roberto Martínez has access to virtually his entire World Cup squad, with captain Cristiano Ronaldo expected to feature after playing in Portugal’s friendly against Chile. Now 41, Ronaldo is preparing for what would be his sixth FIFA World Cup appearance. Defensive anchor Rúben Dias is also in line to start, with midfielders Vitinha, João Neves, and Rúben Neves all available. The one notable absentee for Portugal is Raphaël Leão, who was sent off during the match against Chile.

On the Nigerian side, Chelle is expected to make several changes to the starting lineup following the Poland fixture, with a number of fringe players having impressed during that game. Players including Bewene Abdullahi Ibrahim, Terem Moffi, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey, and Victor Moses are reportedly in contention to retain their places. Alex Iwobi, who missed the Poland match, is expected to return for the Portugal fixture — a game in which he could set a new Super Eagles appearance record, surpassing Ahmed Musa’s all-time tally.

However, Nigeria face challenges in attack. The absences of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman represent a significant loss of firepower for Chelle’s side. The squad has also been dealt a further injury blow, with defender Igho Ogbu sustaining what team medical staff suspect is a ruptured left Achilles tendon during a training session in Lisbon. Team officials confirmed the setback on Saturday evening.

Looking beyond June 10, the Super Eagles will shift attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, which begins in September. Nigeria have been drawn in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Tanzania. The friendly series against Poland and Portugal forms part of the preparation framework for those qualifiers, giving Chelle an extended opportunity to assess his squad depth ahead of the competitive fixtures.