Nigeria begin their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign on Tuesday carrying unfinished business, determined to turn recent disappointment into continental redemption when they face Tanzania at Fez Stadium.
Last edition’s runners-up are still haunted by a narrow 2-1 defeat to hosts Ivory Coast in the final, a loss that denied the Super Eagles a fourth AFCON crown and extended their wait for a title to more than a decade.
That frustration was compounded months later when Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, marking a second consecutive absence from football’s biggest stage – an unprecedented low point since their global debut in 1994.
The road to that World Cup collapse was cruel.
A late surge in the qualifiers, aided by revised CAF ranking regulations, kept hope alive before Nigeria edged Gabon in extra time in a playoff semifinal.
But the dream ended in a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo, sealing another painful chapter for one of Africa’s traditional heavyweights.
Redemption now feels non-negotiable. Yet momentum is fragile. A 2-1 friendly loss to Egypt last week snapped a largely encouraging run of seven matches, which included five wins when extra-time victories are counted.
Even so, Nigeria’s pedigree leaves little room for excuses against a Tanzania side ranked 74 places below them in the FIFA standings.
Still, recent AFCON history urges caution.
Nigeria opened the last tournament with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea before regrouping to top the group and reach the final.
A slow start did not derail them then, but patience will again be tested.
Eric Chelle’s squad brims with European-based quality.
Former CAF Players of the Year Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen headline a group that includes Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Wilfred Ndidi.
Anything short of a convincing opening performance would fall well below expectations.
Tanzania, by contrast, arrive with limited pressure and a longer-term focus on 2027, when they will co-host the tournament alongside Uganda and Kenya.
Yet the Taifa Stars are eager to rewrite their own AFCON narrative, having exited at the group stage in all four previous appearances, including the last edition where they finished bottom with just two points.
Form offers little encouragement. Miguel Gamondi’s side are winless in seven matches across all competitions, losing five, and have scored in just two of those games.
Their struggles were evident in World Cup qualifying, where they finished third, while friendly defeats – including a chaotic 4-3 loss to Kuwait – exposed defensive frailties.
Nigeria’s defensive reshuffle continues. Brentford-bound Benjamin Fredrick misses out with a knee injury, while Ola Aina remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.
The retirement of former captain and AFCON MVP William Troost-Ekong hands leadership duties to Ndidi, who will anchor midfield in Chelle’s favored 4-4-2 diamond.
Bassey and Semi Ajayi are expected to partner in central defense, flanked by Bright Osayi-Samuel and Zaidu Sanusi, protecting first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
Maduka Okoye’s omission leaves little debate over the No. 1 shirt.
Up front, Samuel Chukwueze arrives in form after five goal contributions in his last five Premier League outings and may drift wide, while Iwobi is set for a central role.
Lookman, joint top scorer at the previous AFCON, will operate behind debutant Akor Adams and Galatasaray striker Osimhen, who has 31 international goals – just six shy of Nigeria’s all-time record.
Tanzania report no new injury concerns and have named a 28-man squad heavy on domestic-based players.
Veteran winger Simon Msuva returns after missing recent international windows and could earn his 100th cap, while also sitting one goal short of matching Mrisho Ngasa’s long-standing national scoring record.
Mbwana Samatta, now with Le Havre, remains another key attacking outlet, three goals behind that mark.
