What Nigeria Now Needs To Reach AFCON 2027
Abuja · Thursday 1 October 2026
After Tuesday's 3-0 defeat in Bissau, Nigeria have four qualifiers left to overturn a three-point gap to Guinea-Bissau in Group L, which sends only one team to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, alongside co-hosts Tanzania, who are already through.
The table
| Team | Played | Points | Goal difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guinea-Bissau | 2 | 6 | +5 |
| Nigeria | 2 | 3 | -2 |
| Madagascar | 2 | 0 | |
| Tanzania | Qualified as co-hosts | ||
Most groups send their top two. This one sends Tanzania plus one other.
The fixtures left
| When | Match |
|---|---|
| 13 November | Nigeria v Tanzania, Uyo |
| 17 November | Tanzania v Nigeria, Dar es Salaam |
| March 2027 | Nigeria v Guinea-Bissau, and Madagascar away |
Dates for the March window are still to be confirmed.
Nigeria no longer controls this group. It needs four wins and somebody else to drop points.
The realistic view
Win both Tanzania games in November and Nigeria go into March within striking distance, as long as Guinea-Bissau slip somewhere. Drop points in November and the campaign is effectively over before the reverse fixture. The NFF's statement after the game looked ahead to November, and it was right to: those two matches now decide whether March means anything at all.
Reporting: Legit.ng and Premium Times.
Read next
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