Nigeria learn U-23 AFCON qualifying route on way to LA 2028 Olympics
Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles have discovered their qualifying route to the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, with the competition also serving as the continent’s qualifying tournament for the men’s football event at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Egypt will host the 2027 U-23 AFCON automatically, while seven other nations will qualify through the preliminary rounds. Nigeria must overcome two two-legged ties to secure a place in the tournament.
Nigeria’s Qualifying Route
Second Round — November 9–17, 2026
Nigeria will face the winner of the first-round tie between Mauritania and DR Congo.
Third Round — March 22–30, 2027
Should Nigeria advance, the Olympic Eagles will face the winner of Sierra Leone/Burkina Faso vs Zambia for a place at the 2027 U-23 AFCON.
Nigeria must win both rounds to reach the finals in Egypt and remain in contention for qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Key Dates
First Round: September 20 – October 6, 2026
Second Round: November 9–17, 2026
Third Round: March 22–30, 2027
First-Round Fixtures
Sierra Leone vs Burkina Faso
Mauritania vs DR Congo
São Tomé & Príncipe vs Equatorial Guinea
Togo vs Libya
Tunisia vs Benin
Kenya vs Tanzania
Djibouti vs South Sudan
Ethiopia vs Uganda
Rwanda vs Sudan
Comoros vs Madagascar
Angola vs Namibia
Seychelles vs Botswana
Malawi vs Eswatini
Zimbabwe vs Mauritius
Second-Round Fixtures
Sierra Leone/Burkina Faso vs Zambia
Mauritania/DR Congo vs Nigeria
São Tomé & Príncipe/Equatorial Guinea vs Niger
Togo/Libya vs Ghana
Tunisia/Benin vs Gabon
Kenya/Tanzania vs Côte d’Ivoire
Djibouti/South Sudan vs Senegal
Ethiopia/Uganda vs Morocco
Rwanda/Sudan vs Cameroon
Comoros/Madagascar vs South Africa
Angola/Namibia vs Congo
Seychelles/Botswana vs Guinea
Malawi/Eswatini vs Algeria
Zimbabwe/Mauritius vs Mali
Third Round
The winner of Sierra Leone/Burkina Faso vs Zambia will meet the winner of Mauritania/DR Congo vs Nigeria.
The remaining third-round ties will also be determined by pairing the winners from the second round.
The seven third-round winners will join hosts Egypt at the 2027 U-23 AFCON finals, where they will battle for the available Olympic qualification places.
For Nigeria, the journey begins in November against either Mauritania or DR Congo. The Olympic Eagles will be aiming to navigate the two-round hurdle and keep their dream of reaching Los Angeles 2028 alive.
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