Draw Ceremony Details
Nigeria’s Super Eagles, three-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions, will discover their group stage opponents for the 2025 AFCON today, Monday, as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducts the draw in Rabat, Morocco.
The highly anticipated tournament is scheduled to take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The draw ceremony will be held at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat at 7:00 p.m. Nigerian time and will be televised across 90 countries, including regions in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
Nigeria’s Seeding and Potential Opponents
Ranked fifth in Africa, the Super Eagles are placed in Pot 1, alongside top teams like:
- Egypt (seven-time winners)
- Ivory Coast (Cup holders and three-time winners)
- Algeria (two-time winners)
- Morocco (hosts and 1976 champions)
- Senegal (2021 winners)
This seeding ensures that Nigeria will avoid these powerhouses in the group stages. However, they could face stiff competition from Pot 2, which includes:
- Cameroon (five-time winners)
- Mali
- Tunisia
- South Africa
- DR Congo
- Burkina Faso
Pot 3 features: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, and Benin Republic, while Pot 4 includes: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and tournament debutants Botswana.
NFF Representatives in Rabat
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) confirmed that newly appointed Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle, team administrator Dayo Enebi, and NFF Technical Committee Chairman Sharif Inuwa will attend the draw ceremony.
Nigeria’s Qualification Journey
The Super Eagles secured qualification for the tournament in November 2024 with two games to spare. A favorable result in Kigali, where Rwanda lost 1-0 to Libya, ensured Nigeria’s place before their penultimate game against Benin Republic.
Although their qualification campaign ended with a 2-1 loss to Rwanda in Uyo, the Super Eagles remain strong contenders heading into the tournament.
Nigeria’s Record at AFCON
The Super Eagles hold an impressive record in the competition’s 68-year history, with 16 medals in 20 appearances, including:
- Three titles (1980, 1994, 2013)
- Five runner-up finishes (1984, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2023)
- Eight bronze medals
In the last edition held in Ivory Coast, Nigeria finished second after losing the final 2-1 against the hosts.
Broadcast and Global Attention
The draw’s global reach underscores the prestige of AFCON, as fans eagerly await the group stage matchups. For Nigeria, the stakes are high, with expectations to reclaim the continental title and continue their legacy in African football.
As the draw unfolds, football enthusiasts across the globe will be watching to see how the Super Eagles and other top teams are paired for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
