Nigeria’s Super Eagles will begin their journey towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with a home fixture against Madagascar before travelling to Morocco to face Guinea Bissau in their second qualifying match later this month.
The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed that the Super Eagles will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Four days later, Eric Chelle’s side will be back in action when they take on Guinea Bissau on Sunday, September 27, with the encounter scheduled to take place in Morocco.
The fixtures were confirmed by the NFF through the Super Eagles’ official social media platforms on Tuesday as Nigeria prepares to begin its campaign for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria has been drawn in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea Bissau and Tanzania. The group presents an interesting challenge for the three time African champions, particularly because Tanzania is one of the three countries that will host the 2027 tournament alongside Kenya and Uganda.
The presence of Tanzania creates a different qualification situation in the group because the co hosts already have an automatic place at the tournament. However, Tanzania will still participate in the qualifying campaign, leaving Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea Bissau to compete for the remaining qualification place from the group.
The Super Eagles will therefore be expected to make a strong start when they welcome Madagascar to Uyo.
Playing the opening match on home soil gives Nigeria an opportunity to begin the campaign with maximum points and build early momentum. The atmosphere at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is also expected to provide an additional advantage for the Nigerian side as supporters return to watch the national team compete in a meaningful competitive fixture.
However, Nigeria will have little time to celebrate or recover from the opening match before facing Guinea Bissau.
The Super Eagles will travel to Morocco just four days after the Madagascar encounter for what could be a demanding second fixture. The short turnaround means Chelle and his technical crew will have to carefully manage the squad, particularly with several players involved in demanding club schedules across Europe and other leagues.
The Guinea Bissau fixture could also prove significant because the two nations are familiar opponents. Their previous meetings in recent AFCON qualifying campaigns have produced competitive encounters, making the September clash another test of Nigeria’s ability to deal with difficult away fixtures.
For Chelle, the AFCON qualifiers represent an opportunity to build a new chapter with the Super Eagles after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The disappointment of missing the World Cup has increased the importance of the 2027 AFCON campaign, with the Nigerian team now expected to respond strongly and secure a place at the continental championship.
Nigeria will also be hoping to maintain its status as one of Africa’s leading football nations after finishing third at the most recent AFCON in Morocco. A successful qualifying campaign would provide the Super Eagles with another opportunity to challenge for continental honours when the tournament eventually gets underway.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027. It will be the first time the tournament is hosted by three countries.
The Super Eagles will play six qualifying matches in total, facing each opponent home and away. Their opening two games against Madagascar and Guinea Bissau will therefore be followed by further fixtures against the other teams in Group L.
Under the qualifying format, the top two teams in most groups will qualify for the AFCON finals. Group L is an exception because Tanzania has already secured automatic qualification as one of the hosts. This means Nigeria will need to finish ahead of Madagascar and Guinea Bissau to secure the group’s available qualification ticket alongside Tanzania.
That makes every point particularly important for Chelle’s men.
A victory over Madagascar in Uyo would give Nigeria the ideal start, while a positive result against Guinea Bissau four days later would put the Super Eagles in a strong position heading into the remaining fixtures.
The national team’s preparations will now come under close attention as supporters wait to see the squad Chelle will select for the two matches. The coach will also have to find the right balance between experienced players and emerging talents as Nigeria begins another important phase of its international football journey.
For the Super Eagles, the message is clear. After missing out on the 2026 World Cup, there is little room for another major disappointment.
The road to AFCON 2027 begins in Uyo against Madagascar on September 23, before Nigeria faces Guinea Bissau in Morocco four days later. The two matches could set the tone for the entire qualifying campaign and give the Super Eagles an early indication of what will be required to secure their place among Africa’s best at the 2027 tournament.
