Arsenal cancel plan to visit Nigeria in pre-season

Arsenal have cancelled plans to visit Nigeria for the first time for a pre-season friendly this summer.

The Gunners were scheduled to play in Abuja in August but have had to scrap plans for logistical reasons.

"Bringing a top-level club to an international market is always complicated and logistically challenging," Arsenal marketing director Angus Kinnear said in a statement on the club's website.

"With the proposed match in Nigeria planned for early August, we could not get comfortable on everything needed to satisfy our requirements, so we have reluctantly taken the decision to postpone the team's visit."

Kinnear said that the club are making plans to visit Nigeria next summer.

Arsenal will still tour Asia this month, including a showpiece friendly against Manchester City in the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing on July 27.