Nigeria’s Super Eagles begin their campaign for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title today when they take on Tanzania’s Taifa Stars at the Fez Stadium in Fez, Morocco.
The Eagles arrive at the tournament determined to bounce back from the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their qualification hopes ended in heartbreak after a dramatic African play-off final loss to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they were edged out 4–3 on penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time.
Despite that setback, head coach Éric Chelle’s side showed resilience and quality throughout the qualifiers. Nigeria went unbeaten in their group stage matches in 2025, recording four wins and a draw, before thrashing Gabon 4–1 in the continental play-off semi-finals. The narrow defeat to DR Congo, however, denied them a place at the FIFA Play-Off Tournament and a second straight World Cup appearance.
Now turning their focus fully to AFCON, Nigeria will look to reassert their status as one of Africa’s football powerhouses. With a squad packed with Europe-based stars, the Super Eagles are eager to add to their three previous AFCON titles, even as they trail Egypt (seven titles), Cameroon (five) and Ghana (four) in the competition’s rich history.
Speaking ahead of the match, Chelle admitted he is well aware of the high expectations from Nigerian fans, who demand victories in every outing. A convincing win and a clean sheet against Tanzania would be the ideal way to set the tone.
The Taifa Stars, coached by Miguel Gamondi, are making just their fourth AFCON appearance. Their previous outings in 1980, 2019 and 2023 all ended at the group stage, and they are still chasing their first-ever win at the tournament, having recorded three draws and six losses so far.
All eyes will be on Nigeria’s attacking spearhead, Victor Osimhen. The 26-year-old striker is in blistering form after finishing the 2024/25 season as top scorer in the Turkish Süper Lig. He has already scored six goals in 12 league games this season and has been directly involved in six goals across his last four appearances for Nigeria. With that kind of momentum, Osimhen is widely tipped as a strong contender for the Golden Boot as the Super Eagles launch their AFCON journey.
