Nigeria have been drawn against either Mauritania or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the second round of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Under-23 tournament in Egypt, Trybal News reports.
The draw was conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo on Tuesday, with Nigeria among 14 countries exempted from the opening round based on their performances in recent editions of the competition.
The Olympic Eagles will discover their opponents after Mauritania and DR Congo contest their first-round tie in September. Nigeria’s second-round campaign is scheduled to begin in November, with the first leg set for November 9 and the return leg on November 17.
Nigeria’s path will not end there. Should the Olympic Eagles progress, they will face the winner of the second-round tie involving Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Zambia in the final qualifying round scheduled for March 2027.
Only seven teams will join hosts Egypt at the U-23 AFCON finals, making the final qualifying round the decisive stage in the race for qualification.
The tournament carries added importance for Nigeria as it will also determine Africa’s representatives at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The top-performing teams in Egypt will secure qualification for the Olympic football tournament.
Nigeria missed the 2023 U-23 AFCON after failing to qualify, ending their run of appearances at every edition of the competition since its inception in 2011.
The Olympic Eagles, who won the competition in 2015, will now begin preparations for their November qualifying tie as they seek a return to the continental tournament and keep their Olympic ambitions alive.
For Nigeria, the road to Los Angeles 2028 will officially begin in November.
