The Super Eagles of Nigeria have been drawn against Guinea-Bissau, Tanzania, and Madagascar in Group L for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification series.
The pairings follow the official draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday.
Nigeria’s opponents are familiar faces for the three-time African champions. The Super Eagles recently defeated Tanzania 2-1 at the 2025 AFCON and previously beat Madagascar 2-0 during the 2019 tournament.
Meanwhile, Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria have faced each other repeatedly in recent years, trading tackles during the 2021 AFCON group stage, the 2023 qualifiers, and the 2023 main tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
The qualification race features 12 groups in total, with the matches scheduled to take place over six matchdays between September and March. The tournament itself will be co-hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.
Addressing rumors surrounding stadium readiness and organizational delays in East Africa, CAF President Patrice Motsepe dismissed any talk of a postponement.
“The next (2027) AFCON is going to be in East Africa during June and July next year. I have no doubts about that, despite all the challenges,” he assured reporters recently.
AFCON 2027 Qualification Draw
Group A
Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
Group B
Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
Group C
Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, Somalia
Group D
South Africa, Guinea, Kenya (co-host), Eritrea
Group E
Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
Group F
Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
Group G
Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo Brazzaville
Group H
Tunisia, Uganda (co-host), Libya, Botswana
Group I
Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
Group J
Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
Group K
Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
Group L
Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania (co-host), Guinea-Bissau
Note: Winners and runners-up qualify from nine groups, not including a co-host. In three groups, including a co-host, only one other team qualifies
Matchdays
1, 2: September 21-Oct 6
3, 4: November 9-17
5, 6: March 22-30 2027
