The Super Eagles of Nigeria will begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign on September 25th against Madagascar.
Nigeria will then face Guinea Bissau four days later on September 29th, according to the latest schedule confirmed by CAF.
The Super Eagles will host Madagascar in their opening Group L fixture. They will then travel for the away meeting with Guinea Bissau.
Tanzania complete Nigeria’s Group L, giving the Super Eagles two key fixtures to open their qualification campaign.
Head coach Eric Chelle is expected to name his squad ahead of the September matches. Nigeria will be aiming for a strong start after missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The qualifiers will also give Chelle another chance to assess his players and continue reshaping the Super Eagles squad.
Nigeria recently featured in a series of friendly matches. Therefore, the AFCON 2027 qualifiers will offer Chelle a more competitive test as he continues to build his team.
Super Eagles Begin Road to AFCON 2027
Qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will now rank among the Super Eagles immediate priorities. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will jointly host the tournament.
The qualifying campaign will run across six matchdays. Each group will feature home and away fixtures, ensuring every team plays both at home and on the road.
CAF has divided the 48 participating nations into 12 groups of four teams. The opening two matchdays will take place before the qualifiers return during the FIFA international window from 9th to 17th November 2026.
The final two rounds will follow between 22nd and 30th March 2027. Teams will then secure their places at the AFCON 2027 finals based on their group positions.
In groups without a co host, the teams that finish first and second will qualify for the finals.
However, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania already have guaranteed places because they will stage the tournament. Kenya is in Group D, Uganda is in Group H and Tanzania is in Group L.
As a result, the highest placed team in each group containing one of the host nations will also qualify for the AFCON 2027 finals.
For the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the opening fixtures against Madagascar and Guinea Bissau will set the tone for the campaign. The Super Eagles will be determined to avoid another major setback after their failure to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The AFCON 2027 finals will take place in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027. The tournament will return to East Africa for the first time in more than five decades.
