Angola FA cancels friendlies due to Iran war

The Angola national team is feeling the impact of the war between Iran and the United States.

Due to the war in the Middle East, the Panthers have had their scheduled friendlies against Jordan and Iran cancelled.

The Angolan Football Federation (FAF) confirms the cancellation of the strength- building matches scheduled for Qatar during the FIFA international match window between 23 and 31 March 23, citing the ongoing war.

“The Angolan Football Federation (FAF) hereby informs the national public, its associates, the fans and all other stakeholders of Angolan football that the National Team will not hold friendly matches during the international window in March,” reads part of the statement.

“As part of the previously outlined sports preparation, two friendly matches were planned in Dubai, against the national teams of Jordan and Iran. However, the aggravation of the current conflict in the Middle East and the consequent instability that is felt in the region have imposed a serious, prudent and responsible re-evaluation of the entire framework initially envisaged.”

How Angola’s last-ditch effort flopped

FAF said its efforts to secure an alternative friendly match also failed, leaving it with no other option.

“Following this scenario, a re-planning operation was developed, as urgently as possible, that allowed to safeguard only the possibility of holding a single meeting.

Despite the efforts undertaken, and after a deep and rigorous evaluation of the financial obligations involved, the required logistical and administrative effort and the respective competitive benefit for the national team, it has been concluded that playing just one game would not rationally and strategically justify the mobilization of means required,” adds the statement.

However, the decision of FAF has not gone down well with some sections of the Angolan football fraternity. For example, Angolan journalist Luis Caetano has faulted the association of giving up too quickly and easily on the prospect of securing the friendly.

Why Angolan journalist has reservations

“The decision to cancel the Black Palancas matches during the FIFA window may be understandable from a security point of view, but it also leaves the feeling that the Angolan Football Federation might have given up too soon in finding alternatives. In international football, when one door closes, another competitive window is usually searched for,” Caetano wrote.

“It is true that aggravating tensions in the Middle East has disabled scheduled matches in Dubai against the national teams of Iran and Jordan, but there are other possibilities.

For example, the Southern African region has several competitive and geographically closer teams, which could facilitate the organization of friendly matches in a timely manner. For the national team, going through a transition period following the departure of coach Patrice Beaumelle, each FIFA window is a precious opportunity to test players, maintain competitive pace and reinforce team identity.

Therefore, I consider that not competing even for understandable reasons, eventually delays this process further.”

The warm-up matches presented the Palancas Negras coach Patrice Beaumelle with an opportunity to right the mistakes that contributed to his team’s underwhelming performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite boasting an array of stars drawn from established teams in Europe, Angola failed to win any group stage-game.

Angola finished third in Group B, with two draws against Zimbabwe (1-1) and Egypt (0-0) and a 2-1 loss at the hands of South Africa, scoring two goals and conceding three.

FAF had set a target of reaching the quarterfinals of the continental competition.