Francis Uzoho first to arrive as Super Eagles open AFCON 2025 camp in Cairo

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) officially got underway on Sunday as goalkeeper Francis Uzoho became the first player to report to the Super Eagles’ training camp in Cairo, Egypt.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed that the camp opened on Sunday, December 14, at the Renaissance Hotel, Cairo, with members of the coaching and backroom staff already in place. Uzoho, who plays his club football for Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, checked in shortly after 2:00 a.m. local time.

The 27-year-old’s early arrival has been viewed as a strong show of commitment, particularly as he returns to the national team setup after a limited role at the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire. Uzoho was included in head coach Eric Sékou Chelle’s final 28-man squad despite stiff competition for places.

Nigeria’s goalkeeping department for the tournament will feature Stanley Nwabali, Amas Obasogie, and Uzoho. While Nwabali is widely regarded as the current first choice, Uzoho brings valuable experience, having represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and two previous AFCON tournaments.

Uzoho’s selection has also been boosted by his recent club form. Last Thursday, he was named Man of the Match after making six crucial saves to help Omonia Nicosia secure a 1–0 clean-sheet win over Rapid Wien in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The Cairo camp represents the final phase of Nigeria’s build-up before the tournament begins in Morocco. The Super Eagles are scheduled to face seven-time African champions Egypt in a friendly on Tuesday, December 16, at the Cairo Stadium. The fixture was rescheduled in line with FIFA regulations that allow clubs to retain players until December 15.

After the friendly, the squad will travel on a chartered flight to Fès, Morocco, which will serve as Nigeria’s base for the group stage. The remaining players are expected to arrive in camp over the coming days as club commitments across Europe come to an end.

AFCON 2025 carries added significance for the Super Eagles following their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a setback that attracted widespread criticism. The tournament is seen as a major opportunity for Nigeria to restore confidence among fans.

Drawn in Group C, Nigeria will take on Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda in Fès. The Super Eagles will open their campaign against Tanzania on December 23, face Tunisia on December 27, and conclude the group stage against Uganda on December 30.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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