The Confederation of African football has agreed to postpone the Nations Cup qualifiers in initially scheduled for March till October.
The postponement is to allow the continent’s World Cup participants: Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia prepare for the 2018 tournaments.
Nigeria’s football Chief Amaju Pinnick had requested that the international window be left open for friendly matches against similar world cup opponents instead.
His request has now been granted.
“African teams to the World Cup will now have the March 2018 FIFA international days for friendly games after the CAF executive committee approved a proposal by Nigeria for 2019 AFCON qualifiers fixed for that period moved to October 2018,” said Super Eagles spokesman Toyin Ibitoye.
“The 2019 AFCON will now be played in June 2019 as against January when the match schedule was announced so there is more time now for the 2019 AFCON qualifiers to be concluded,” he said.
The 2018 World Cup draws holds on December 1, 2018, in Moscow.
Ibitoye said Nigeria, which would have played Seychelles in March 2018, now plan two friendlies in that period to prepare for the World Cup.