19.5.2026
Nigeria will lock horns with Guinea-Bissau, Tanzania, and Madagascar in the qualification series for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
This followed the 2027 AFCON draw held in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, which saw the Super Eagles in Group L of the qualification race for the next continental showpiece.
Nigeria’s opponents are not new to the three-time AFCON winners, as they have faced them in recent years.
At the 2021 AFCON, the Super Eagles battled Guinea-Bissau in the group stages. Both nations were also opponents in the qualification race for the 2023 AFCON as well as the main competition in Côte d’Ivoire.
Nigeria and Tanzania faced off at the 2025 AFCON, but the three-time African champions beat them 2-1.
In the 2019 AFCON, the Super Eagles were 2-0 winners over Madagascar. That was in a group stage outing. Nigeria finished third at the last AFCON and were runners-up in 2023.
There are a total of 12 groups for the qualification race for the tournament set to be hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.
Meanwhile CAF president Patrice Motsepe has repeatedly refuted reports that the 2027 AFCON would be postponed or taken away from the co-hosts due to delays with preparations.
“The next (2027) AFCON is going to be in East Africa during June and July next year. I have no doubts about that, despite all the challenges,” he assured reporters recently.
AFCON 2027 Qualification Draw
Group A
Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
Group B
Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
Group C
Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, Somalia
Group D
South Africa, Guinea, Kenya (co-host), Eritrea
Group E
Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
Group F
Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
Group G
Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo Brazzaville
Group H
Tunisia, Uganda (co-host), Libya, Botswana
Group I
Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
Group J
Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
Group K
Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
Group L
Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania (co-host), Guinea-Bissau
Matches will be played between October and November
Nigeria's Super Eagles...