Ibrahim Hassan, director of the Egyptian national team, has explained the reason behind the 48-hour postponement of the friendly match between Nigeria and Egypt. 

The friendly game, originally scheduled for December 14, has now been moved to December 16.

The friendly is expected to offer both teams a crucial opportunity to fine-tune tactics and assess player readiness ahead of the competition.

Speaking on the development, Ibrahim explained that the change in date was made following a request from the Nigeria Football Federation.

In a press release on Sunday evening, Ibrahim Hassan also clarified logistical details, noting that the match will be staged at the Cairo International Stadium with kickoff set for 8 p.m. local time.

"The Nigeria match will be held on December 16 instead of the 14, after Nigeria requested a 48-hour postponement," Ibrahim Hassan said.

"The match will take place at Cairo Stadium at 8 pm." 

Nigeria sought the adjustment after FIFA officially set December 15 as the mandatory release date for international players ahead of next year's AFCON.

The Super Eagles have already announced a 54-man provisional squad ahead of the start of their training camp.

After finishing as runners-up at the last tournament in Ivory Coast, Nigeria will aim to secure a fourth AFCON title in Morocco, especially after the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.