Olympic Eagles face two hurdles for U23 AFCON qualification in Egypt

Posted : 26 August 2026

Nigeria's Olympic Eagles have learned their route to the 2027 CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt after the qualifying draw was conducted in Cairo on Tuesday. Nigeria received a bye into the second round and must win two knockout ties to reach the tournament.

The first challenge will come against the winner of the opening-round meeting between Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first round will be played before Nigeria enters the competition, with the second-round ties scheduled for November 9 and 17.

Nigeria will play the first leg away from home before hosting the return match. Victory over the two-leg tie would send the Olympic Eagles into the final qualifying round and leave them one step away from the finals in Egypt.

The final hurdle could be even tougher. Nigeria would meet the winner of the second-round tie involving Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Zambia in the decisive round of qualifying. Zambia have already been drawn to face the winner of Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso in the second round.

The final qualifying round is scheduled for March 22 and 30, 2027. Nigeria therefore face a potentially demanding route, with two strong opponents required to be eliminated before the team can secure its place at the U23 AFCON.

The tournament carries added importance because it will also form part of Africa's qualification pathway for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Nigeria missed the men's Olympic football tournaments at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, making the current campaign an important opportunity to return to the global event.

Eric Chelle will oversee the Olympic Eagles alongside his responsibilities as Super Eagles head coach. The Nigeria Football Federation expanded his role as part of an effort to create a stronger link between the senior team and the country's youth setup.

Chelle's appointment gives Nigeria a clear technical structure across the two teams. The Franco-Malian coach will now have the task of identifying and developing a squad capable of handling a difficult qualifying route while also building towards the Olympic tournament.

Nigeria have a strong history in the U23 AFCON, winning the 2015 edition in Senegal. The country also won Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996 and claimed silver in Beijing in 2008 before taking bronze in Rio in 2016.

The immediate focus, however, will be on the November tie. Nigeria must first discover whether Mauritania or DR Congo will stand in their way before preparing for a decisive two-legged contest.

Olympic Eagles face two hurdles for U23 AFCON qualification in Egypt

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