The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on Friday. Nigeria, three-time African champions, are expected to qualify for the tournament, to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. However, the structure of Group L leaves little room for complacency, with only one team, apart from the top two, automatically qualifying.
Head Coach Eric Chelle has emphasized the need for a strong start, stating that it will be crucial to their hopes of reaching the 2027 tournament. The Super Eagles will be under pressure to deliver after their failure to qualify for consecutive World Cup finals. Their recent AFCON qualifying campaign also ended with some concern after Nigeria dropped points against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
Nigeria will be without Victor Osimhen, who has not recovered from a muscle injury. Taiwo Awoniyi has been drafted into the squad as his replacement, while George Ilenikhena could make his senior debut after receiving his first Super Eagles invitation. Ola Aina has also returned to the squad after his last appearance for Nigeria in September 2025.
Madagascar will draw confidence from their previous meeting with Nigeria at the 2019 AFCON, where they defeated the Super Eagles 2-0 in Alexandria. Madagascar went on to reach the quarter-finals in their debut appearance, while Nigeria eventually finished third. However, the Barea have struggled to reproduce that success, winning only two of their last 18 AFCON qualifying matches.
Moses Simon is in line to make his 100th senior appearance for Nigeria and the NFF has announced plans to honour the forward if he reaches the milestone against Madagascar. Simon has played 64 competitive matches and 35 friendlies for Nigeria, including 23 AFCON finals appearances and 22 World Cup qualifying matches.
The NFF's Acting General Secretary, Emmanuel Ikpeme, has expressed confidence in the team, stating that the Super Eagles will give Nigerians joy with a victory against Madagascar. Ikpeme also emphasized the importance of making home advantage count, citing the team's previous successes in Uyo.
The match is set to kick off at 5 p.m. at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. Nigeria will enter the fixture as the more experienced side, but Madagascar's 2019 victory is a clear warning that the Super Eagles cannot afford to underestimate their opponents.
Key points
- Nigeria's Super Eagles begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on Friday.
- The Super Eagles will be without Victor Osimhen due to a muscle injury, while Taiwo Awoniyi has been drafted into the squad as his replacement.
- Moses Simon is in line to make his 100th senior appearance for Nigeria against Madagascar.
