Nigeria’s Super Eagles have discovered their opponents for the qualification campaign of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after being drawn in Group L alongside Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, Trybal News reports.
The draw ceremony, conducted on Tuesday, officially set the path for the continent’s national teams aiming to secure qualification for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in June 2027.
The Super Eagles will enter the qualifiers as one of the favourites in the group but are expected to face a competitive challenge from all three opponents, particularly co-hosts Tanzania, who are automatically guaranteed a place at the tournament.
CAF confirmed that 48 countries have been divided into 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from every group qualifying for the finals. However, Group L comes with a special qualification arrangement due to Tanzania’s status as one of the host nations.
Should Tanzania finish among the top two teams in the group, only one additional team will qualify for the AFCON finals from Group L. If Tanzania finish outside the top two, then the two highest-ranked eligible teams will progress as normal.
The qualification series is scheduled to begin during the September international window, with matches expected to run through March 2027.
Nigeria will also renew rivalry with Guinea-Bissau, a side they have faced regularly in recent AFCON competitions, while Madagascar and Tanzania are expected to provide difficult tests in the race for qualification.
The 2027 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will mark a historic moment for African football as it will be the first time three countries jointly host the competition.
