The Super Eagles open their road to AFCON 2027 on Friday, September 25, hosting Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Kick-off is 4 p.m. local time and Eric Chelle’s side will want a fast start in a group where only one non-host nation can qualify alongside Tanzania.
Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau are effectively fighting over a single ticket to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Tanzania’s spot is locked in as co-hosts, which turns every point among the other three into a straight fight for second place.
A win in Uyo wouldn’t decide anything on its own, but it would put Nigeria in control before the trickier trip to Bissau four days later.
Madagascar coach, Corentin Martins has taken his Barea to a first-ever CHAN final in 2025, evidence that this is a side building real momentum even without recent
Nigeria fans of a certain age will need no reminder of what Madagascar are capable of. At the 2019 AFCON, a Madagascar side ranked 108th in the world beat the Super Eagles 2-0 in Alexandria, a result that still stands as one of the tournament’s great shocks.
It’s the only time the two countries have met since 2011, and Nigeria’s overall record against the Barea (three wins, a draw and that one defeat) does little to erase the memory of that night in Egypt.
Nigeria go in as favourites on paper, at home, and with far more individual quality across the pitch even without
