Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick and the British High Commissioner, His Excellency Paul Arkwright have both described the international friendly between Nigeria and England as more than a game.
They made the comments on Thursday in a meeting at the British High Commission in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Pinnick and the second Vice President, Mallam Shehu Dikko met with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, who used the opportunity to inform the federation that the High Commission will organise a number of events around the match, both in the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
“Let me also assure you that England is taking this match very serious. It is more than just a game; it is a big preparatory game towards the FIFA World Cup. More than that, the historical ties between our two countries are there to be considered, so it will also serve to strengthen and enhance relations and good collaboration between our countries,” said Arkwright.
Pinnick informed Arkwright that the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom is also involved in the efforts to ensure the match is a success, coming less than two weeks before the opening match of the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.