2025 AFCON: Nigeria drawn in tricky Group C with Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have been drawn into Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scheduled to take place in Morocco.

The 2025 AFCON draw was held on Monday evening at the Mohamed V Theatre in Rabat, presenting a challenging path for Nigeria to secure its fourth AFCON title. Tunisia, a perennial contender on the African stage and a familiar rival to Nigeria, is expected to be a significant obstacle. Meanwhile, Uganda and Tanzania bring their resilience and determination to a competitive group.

The Super Eagles will open their 2025 AFCON campaign against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars. Reflecting on the draw, Nigeria’s head coach Éric Sékou Chelle expressed confidence in his team, stating, “Nigeria have a good crop of players globally, and we believe we are up to the task.”

The Super Eagles share a storied history with their group opponents.
In 1980, during Nigeria’s first hosting of AFCON, they defeated Tanzania 3-1 in the tournament’s opening match, en route to their first title.

In 2000, as co-hosts with Ghana, Nigeria faced Tunisia in their opening match, securing a 4-2 victory and eventually reaching the final, where they narrowly lost to Cameroon.

Uganda stunned Nigeria with a 2-1 victory at the 1978 AFCON in Ghana, relegating the Eagles to the third-place match, which they won after Tunisia abandoned the game.

Former Super Eagles midfielder and 1994 AFCON winner Mutiu Adepoju expressed optimism, saying, “Given the level of our players and their performances in Europe, I am confident we have a team capable of competing favourably and winning the trophy for the fourth time in Morocco.”

The 2025 AFCON Groups:
Group A: Hosts Morocco, Zambia, Mali, and Comoros.
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe.
Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, and Botswana.
Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan.
Group F: Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, and Mozambique.

The 2025 AFCON promises to be a thrilling tournament with strong teams across all groups. Nigeria’s journey to a potential fourth title will begin with navigating the challenges of Group C.