Sports

AFCON 2025: Super Eagles to know opponents Thursday

"The qualifying matches will be played over the FIFA windows of September, October, and November this year"

525

Three-time champions and five-time runners-up, Nigeria are expected to know their opponents for the qualification race of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals on Thursday.

Johannesburg, South Africa will host the 2025 AFCON draw.

The Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation, Ademola Olajire, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

The SuperSport studio in South Africa’s commercial and economic capital will host the draw.

It will divide the 48 countries into 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two teams in eleven of the groups qualifying directly to the finals, scheduled for December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

Morocco will qualify (no matter the position in which they finish) alongside one other team in the 12th group (which has host nation Morocco).

The qualifying matches will be played over the FIFA windows of September, October, and November this year.

All of Nigeria’s opponents in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race—Benin Republic, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe—are all in Thursday’s draw.

The following 48 teams are in the draw:

POT 1: Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Mali, South Africa, DR Congo, Ghana

POT 2: Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Benin Republic, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Mozambique, and Madagascar

POT 3: Kenya, Mauritania, Congo, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Comoros, Togo, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Malawi, and the and the Central African Republic

POT 4: Niger Republic, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, The Gambia, Burundi, Liberia, Ethiopia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, South Sudan, and Chad.

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Olopade assumes office as NSC DG, promises new lease of life for Nigerian sports

Bukola Olopade had assumed office as the Director General of the resuscitated...

Nigeria’s Super Falcons Ajibade, Nnadozie, Nominated for 2024 CAF Women’s Player of the Year

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the nominees for the...

AFCON Qualifier: Nigeria’s Super Eagles Suffer Shocking 2-1 Loss to Rwanda

Nigeria’s Super Eagles concluded their Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifiers...

Gusau Hails Edo Queens CAF Women’s Champions League Semifinal Feat

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has praised Edo Queens’...

Exclusive: Super Eagles’ Road to Morocco 2025 was Turbulent—Team Coordinator

Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured their spot in the 2025 African Cup of...

Just in: Nigeria qualify for AFCON 2025

The Super Eagles have joined 13 other nations to book their spots...

South African FA Boss Jordaan Arrested, Charged with Fraud

Danny Jordaan, the president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), has...

Super Eagles Eye AFCON Finals Ticket Against Benin Republic

Nigeria’s Super Eagles are poised to secure their spot in the 2025...

FIFA announces draw date for expanded Club World Cup

FIFA has revealed that the draws for the newly expanded Club World...

Super Eagles Land in Abidjan, Gear Up for Benin Republic Clash

The Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, has arrived in Abidjan,...

Exclusive: Nigerian heptathlon star, Oluwakemi Ruth Francis, slams AFN, its poor welfare

Nigerian heptathlete Oluwakemi Ruth Francis has opened up about her tumultuous experience...

Manchester United legend, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, departs club after interim stint

Manchester United has confirmed the departure of Ruud Van Nistelrooy, the club...

Osimhen’s Brace Powers Galatasaray to 3-2 Win Over Samsunspor

Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen led Galatasaray to a thrilling 3-2 victory over...

Brighton stun Manchester City with 2-1 comeback win

Brighton & Hove Albion pulled off a stunning 2-1 comeback win over...

Chelsea smashes UEFA Conference League record with 8-0 thrashing of Noah

Chelsea FC made history in the UEFA Conference League, securing a staggering...

Arteta Gives Rice Injury Boost Ahead of Chelsea Clash

Midfielder Declan Rice will have every chance to demonstrate his fitness before...

Arsenal suffer controversial Champions League defeat to Inter Milan

Arsenal’s Champions League campaign suffered a setback as they fell to a...

Lobi Stars unveil Finnish tactician, Mika Lönnström, as new head coach

Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi has officially unveiled Mika Lönnström, a...

NFF in talks with Dangote, BUA for foreign coach payment

In a bid to address the long-standing issue of payment for foreign...