4th July 2024
Nigeria’s opponents in the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco will be unveiled on Thursday (today) at the draw ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa, The PUNCH reports.
The 2025 AFCON will be played from December 21 to January 18 following the decision of CAF to adjust the schedule of the tournament for the congested FIFA calendar.
It will be the first time in Nations Cup history that the tournament will kick off in December and run over the Christmas and New Year periods.
Ahead of the draw, 48 countries are pitted in four pots based on the last FIFA rankings released in June and the top two teams in each group, except the group with hosts Morocco will qualify for the tournament. In Morocco’s group, the hosts will qualify along with the best-placed team in their group regardless of Morocco’s position.
Currently ranked fifth in Africa behind Morocco, Senegal, Egypt and champions Ivory Coast, the Super Eagles are in pot one along with seven other top 12 countries on the continent. Other countries in the pot are Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Mali, South Africa and DR Congo.
As it stands, Nigeria’s three other opponents will be from pots 2, 3 and 4 as the three three-time African champions will begin the quest to reach their 21st AFCON tournament by September.
Following their poor performances in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which has left the team without a coach, NFF president Ibrahim Gusau said the country’s football governing body would take measures to ensure the team qualifies for the next AFCON, as a poser to their determination to reach the next World Cup as well.
“We also have the AFCON qualifiers with the six matches to be completed before March next year. And by the grace of God, that will show Nigerians the steps to make sure we qualify,” Gusau said after an emergency meeting with Sports Minister John Enoh last month.
However, the Eagles are still without a coach since Finidi George left the role last month.
At the last AFCON in Ivory Coast, the Eagles finished second after losing 2-1 to hosts Ivory Coast in the final.
