Nigeria face two qualifying rounds on route to U23 AFCON Egypt 2027

Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles will begin their bid to reach the CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2027 against either Mauritania or the Democratic Republic of Congo after receiving a bye into the second round of qualifying.

The draw, held in Cairo on Tuesday, 25 August, has given Nigeria a potentially demanding route to the finals, with the team needing to overcome two rounds of opposition to secure a place in the tournament in Egypt.

The first-round ties are scheduled to take place between 28 September and 6 October. Nigeria will then enter the competition in the second round, which is due to be played from 9 to 17 November.

Their opening match of the campaign will be away from home, before Nigeria host the return leg. Their opponents will be decided by the first-round tie between Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Victory over either of those sides would send Nigeria through to the final qualifying round. There, they would face the winner of a three-team route involving Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Zambia.

The third round is the final stage of qualification and is scheduled for 22 to 30 March 2027. Nigeria must progress through that tie to earn a place at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

The competition will be staged in Egypt and forms part of the pathway for Africa’s leading under-23 players. Nigeria’s side is known as the Olympic Eagles, reflecting the link between the team and the country’s Olympic football ambitions.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will take charge of the U23 team for the qualifying campaign after being given responsibility for the Olympic Eagles in June.

Chelle’s additional role comes alongside his work with Nigeria’s senior men’s national team. The arrangement is part of an effort to strengthen the connection between the country’s national teams and create a clearer progression route for players moving from the under-23 setup to the senior side.

The Franco-Malian coach is expected to lead the Olympic Eagles through the U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and then oversee the team’s subsequent Olympic qualification campaign.

Nigeria will therefore have to navigate a schedule that begins with the outcome of the Mauritania-Democratic Republic of Congo first-round tie, before potentially facing another contest against Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso or Zambia in March 2027.

The Olympic Eagles’ first assignment is expected in November, when they will play the first leg away before attempting to complete the second-round tie on home territory.