July 03, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian male national football team, known as the Super Eagles, will learn their opponents for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Thursday.
The draw is scheduled to take place at the SuperSport studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, as confirmed by Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The qualification process for the 2025 AFCON will involve 48 countries divided into 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from eleven groups will directly qualify for the finals, which are set to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. In the 12th group, which includes host nation Morocco, two teams will qualify regardless of Morocco’s finishing position.
Nigeria, a three-time AFCON champion and five-time runner-up, will be placed in Pot 1 alongside other football powerhouses such as Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Cameroon. The qualifying matches are slated to be played during the FIFA windows of September, October, and November 2024.
Interestingly, all of Nigeria’s current opponents in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race—Benin Republic, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe—will also participate in Thursday’s draw. This adds an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming qualifiers, as familiar foes may find themselves facing off in both competitions.
The draw marks the beginning of Nigeria’s journey towards potentially securing their fourth AFCON title. With their rich history in the tournament and a talented squad, the Super Eagles will be aiming to make a strong showing in the qualifiers and ultimately in the 2025 AFCON finals.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
