The Super Eagles have their backs against the wall ahead of the 2027 AFCON Qualifiers, as Nigeria simply can't afford to watch another big tournament on television.
Nigeria are drawn in Group L alongside co-hosts Tanzania, meaning there is only one qualifying berth for them, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The Super Eagles need to be competitive and show their pedigree in every game, beginning with their qualifying opener at home to Madagascar on 25 September in Abuja. However, they will have to do so without their star player Victor Osimhen due to injury.
Nigeria Super Eagles AFCON 2027 — Group L, Coach & What's at Stake
| Team | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | Already qualified (co-host) | Automatic berth |
| Nigeria | Must qualify | Ranked 26th in the FIFA Rankings. Massive favourites to clinch automatic qualifying berth. |
| Madagascar | Must qualify | Beat Nigeria 2-0 at AFCON 2019 |
| Guinea-Bissau | Must qualify | Dangerous away from home |
Tanzania are already qualified for the 2027 AFCON since they're one of the three co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda. That means there's only one qualifying berth available in Group L for Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria are overwhelming favourites on paper, but they can't get complacent.
The Super Eagles are led by head coach Eric Chelle. The Malian tactician has led Nigeria since 2025, and although he couldn't carry them to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he has an excellent W15, D5, L6 record with the team. Chelle also led Nigeria to third place in the 2025 AFCON, losing to Morocco in the semifinals but beating Egypt in the bronze-medal match.
Super Eagles Fixtures 2027 — Nigeria's Next Match in AFCON Qualifier Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 2026 (Fri) | Nigeria vs Madagascar | Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja — HOME |
| 29 Sep 2026 (Tue) | Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria | Estádio 24 de Setembro — AWAY |
| Nov 2026 | Nigeria vs Tanzania | MD3 — TBD venue and city |
| Nov 2026 | Tanzania vs Nigeria | MD4 — TBD venue and city |
| Mar 2027 | Madagascar vs Nigeria | MD5 — TBD venue and city |
| Mar 2027 | Nigeria vs Guinea-Bissau | MD6 — TBD venue and city |
Opening the qualifying runs with back-to-back positive results would go a long way for the Super Eagles since they're meeting Tanzania in back-to-back matches in November this year.
Nigeria will close things out in March 2027, visiting Madagascar and hosting Guinea-Bissau in a TBD venue and city. At the very least, the Super Eagles will have the chance to end the qualifying run at home.
Nigeria Super Eagles AFCON 2027 Squad List — Top Players & Selection
Goalkeepers: Okonkwo (Charlton Athletic, England); Okoye (Udinese Calcio, Italy); Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)
Defenders: Onyemaechi (Olympiacos, Greece); James (Alverca FC, Portugal); Fredrick (Brentford FC, England); Fernández (Rangers, Scotland); Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor, Turkey); Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham, England); Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)
Midfielders: Ndidi (Beşiktaş, Turkey); Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Onyedika (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany); Onyeka (Coventry City, England)
Forwards: Simon (Paris FC, France); Awoniyi (Coventry City, England); Adams (Venezia FC, Italy); Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Lookman (Atlético Madrid, Spain); Arokodare (Ajax, The Netherlands); Ilenikhena (Al Ittihad, Saudi Arabia); Usor (LASK, Austria)
Manager: Eric Chelle (Malian-born)
Three players to build around
Ademola Lookman: Victor Osimhen withdrew from the squad for this upcoming international window after failing to recover from a muscle injury, with Taiwo Awoniyi recalled as his replacement. This means Lookman could lead the Super Eagles' attack. He's playing as a centre forward with Los Colchoneros, and filling that role isn't new for him, as he also did it during his Atalanta days. Without Osimhen's strength and physicality, Nigeria will rely on Lookman's explosiveness and pace to unsettle opposing defences.
Alex Iwobi: The veteran midfielder can play as a holding midfielder, as a winger and even as a No. 10 at times, but regardless of the role he fulfills, he should be one of the first names on the team sheet for the Super Eagles. Iwobi is a regular starter for Fulham in the Premier League, and with only four natural midfielders in the squad, he's widely expected to play a big role as a playmaker.
Oluwasemilogo Ajayi: Ajayi has been one of the bright spots for Hull City in their return to the 2026-27 Premier League, scoring a goal against Manchester United and showing he's ready to handle the threat of some of the best strikers in the world week in and week out. His experience in England's top-flight should make him a key player for Nigeria on the international stage.
Other players to keep close tabs on for the Super Eagles are Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest), Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan) and Tolu Arokodare (Ajax). Arokodare, Awoniyi and Akor Adams should all compete for the No. 9 role with Lookman, though Lookman can also play as a winger.
Nigeria vs Madagascar — Next Match Preview (25 September)
Nigeria would be wrong to approach this game with complacency, as they lost to Madagascar in the 2019 AFCON in the most recent head-to-head meeting between both countries. This won't be an easy fixture for Nigeria, as they need to handle the pressure and the expectations of being favourites at home.
Most of the Madagascar players feature in foreign leagues, but the majority play in second-order tournaments such as the French Ligue 2, the 2. Bundesliga, or the top division in smaller countries like the Croatian Prva Liga or the Danish Superliga. Eric Chelle's men should be able to breeze past this challenge.
Not securing the three points here could unravel the entire AFCON Qualifiers campaign for Nigeria, especially after they failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nigeria have the edge in the all-time head-to-head record against Madagascar (W2, L1).
Nigeria are the favourites here and should be able to win this fixture with ease. The talent disparity is too big to not consider it, and Nigeria have gone nine matches undefeated (90 min: W6, D3) at home, so they've proven they can get the job done here in the past.
Nigeria Predicted lineup: Okoye; Aina, Ajayi, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Ndidi, Iwobi; Chukwueze, Lookman, Simon; Arokodare
Nigeria vs Madagascar Odds — Main Markets
Back the Super Eagles to open their campaign in style — see the full Nigeria vs Madagascar market on 22Bet.
| Selection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nigeria to Win | 1.18 |
| Draw | 6.15 |
| Madagascar to Win | 14.8 |
| Both Teams to Score – Yes | 2.64 |
| Both Teams to Score – No | 1.42 |
| Over 2.5 Goals | 1.74 |
| Under 2.5 Goals | 2.01 |
Odds correct at the time of writing and subject to change. For the latest prices, visit 22Bet.
Guinea-Bissau vs Super Eagles — AFCON 2027 Qualifier Prediction (29 September)
An away trip four days after the Madagascar opener has one big complication, and fatigue can be a genuine factor ahead of this match. The outcome of the first match will also affect the potential squad selection, because a draw or a loss to Madagascar at home would put more pressure on the Super Eagles to win here.
Even though Guinea-Bissau are a lower-ranked side (#132), that doesn't mean they'll be an easy opponent. Their home matches are loud and on poor quality pitches, which could complicate things for a Nigerian squad used to better conditions.
This will be the first-ever head-to-head meeting between Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau in AFCON Qualifiers, and the overall record between these two countries shows three wins for Nigeria in four meetings (L1). They'll collide in Estádio 24 de Setembro, but Nigeria should be able to impose their quality and experience to come away with a victory here.
Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria Odds — Main Markets
Every market for the trip to Bissau is live now — place your Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria bets on 22Bet.
| Selection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Guinea-Bissau to Win | 8.35 |
| Draw | 4.04 |
| Nigeria to Win | 1.35 |
| Both Teams to Score – Yes | 2.45 |
| Both Teams to Score – No | 1.46 |
| Over 2.5 Goals | 2.16 |
| Under 2.5 Goals | 1.59 |
Odds correct at the time of writing and subject to change. For the latest prices, visit 22Bet.
AFCON Super Eagles 2027 — Nigeria's Road to Qualification
When it comes to analyzing Nigeria's chances of securing a spot in the 2027 AFCON, the scenario is simple. Tanzania are already qualified as one of the three co-host nations, so the Super Eagles simply need to finish ahead of Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau for the one available Group L spot.
Nigeria have a strong history in AFCON, having won the tournament three times: 1980, 1994 and 2013. The pressure is clear — missing a tournament hosted in East Africa, on Nigeria's doorstep, would be the federation's worst failure in a decade.
The 2027 AFCON will be played between 19 June and 17 July 2027 and will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
