The Super Sand Eagles will step up their preparations for the 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations (BSAFCON) qualifiers with a two-match friendly series against reigning African champions Senegal in Kaduna, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Nigeria will welcome the Teranga Lions to the Murtala Muhammed Square Beach Soccer Arena for the first encounter on Saturday, October 3, before both sides meet again in the return fixture on Monday, October 5. Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 4:00 p.m. each day.
The friendly series comes at an important stage for Nigeria as the Super Sand Eagles prepare for their decisive BSAFCON qualifying showdown against West African rivals Ghana.
Nigeria and Ghana were drawn against each other in the second round of the 2026 BSAFCON qualifiers following the draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The first leg of the qualification tie is scheduled to take place between October 9 and 11, while the return fixture will be played between October 16 and 18.
The winner over the two legs will earn a place at the eight-team continental tournament in Senegal.
For Nigeria, the meetings with Senegal provide an opportunity to measure the squad against the most successful side in African beach soccer before the Ghana qualifiers begin.
Senegal have already secured their place at the 2026 tournament as both hosts and reigning champions. The Teranga Lions have dominated the competition in recent years, winning a record five African titles, including the last five editions in 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2024.
The Super Sand Eagles have also enjoyed success on the continent, winning the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in 2007 and 2009.
However, Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2024 edition after being eliminated by Mauritania during the qualifying campaign.
The back-to-back fixtures in Kaduna will therefore allow the Nigerian technical crew to assess the players, work on tactical adjustments and test the team's readiness against elite opposition before the crucial clash with Ghana.
The 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to hold in Senegal from November 7 to 15 and will also form part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
With the Ghana tie coming immediately after the Senegal friendlies, the Super Sand Eagles will be hoping to use the Kaduna double-header to build confidence and momentum ahead of their battle for a place at the continental finals.