The Super Eagles’ road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations has already hit trouble. After a 2-1 win over Madagascar, Nigeria were beaten 3-0 by Guinea-Bissau in Bissau, their heaviest defeat by an African side in more than three decades. With co-hosts Tanzania already through, only one other team from Group L can qualify, and right now that team is Guinea-Bissau.
This page keeps the AFCON 2027 qualifiers table in one place: the Group L standings, every result and fixture, how qualification works, what Nigeria need to do, and the latest table for all 12 groups. We update it after every matchday. For squad news, player profiles and kick-off times, see our main Super Eagles fixtures, squad and results guide.
Last updated: 21 October 2026, after matchday 2. Next update: after the November double-header against Tanzania.
Group L table (after matchday 2)
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guinea-Bissau | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| 2 | Nigeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| 3 | Tanzania (Q, co-host) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 |
| 4 | Madagascar | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
Tanzania sit above Madagascar on head-to-head away goals after their 1-1 draw in Madagascar. It makes no practical difference: Tanzania have already qualified as one of the three host nations, so the real race in Group L is between Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Madagascar for one place.
How AFCON 2027 qualification works
- The tournament: AFCON 2027 will be played in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027, with 24 teams.
- The groups: 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four (A to L). Each team plays the others home and away, six matches in all.
- Who qualifies: the top two in each group. The three hosts qualify automatically, so in the groups that contain a host (Kenya in Group D, Uganda in Group H, Tanzania in Group L), only the best-placed of the other three teams goes through, wherever the host finishes.
- Tie-breakers: if teams finish level on points, CAF looks first at head-to-head results between them (points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then away goals), and only then at overall goal difference and goals scored.
- The windows: matchdays 1 and 2 were played in late September and early October 2026; matchdays 3 and 4 fall between 9 and 17 November 2026; matchdays 5 and 6 between 22 and 30 March 2027.
The head-to-head rule is why the 3-0 defeat in Bissau hurts so much. If Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau finish level on points, Guinea-Bissau will be ahead unless Nigeria beat them heavily in the return game.
Group L results so far
- Matchday 1 (25 September 2026): Nigeria 2-1 Madagascar. Madagascar led through Kari on 16 minutes; George Ilenikhena equalised in first-half stoppage time and Moses Usor scored the winner on 65 minutes.
- Matchday 1: Tanzania 0-2 Guinea-Bissau (Franculino 33′, Baldé 58′).
- Matchday 2 (29 September 2026): Guinea-Bissau 3-0 Nigeria at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau. Franculino curled in the opener after about a quarter of an hour, Mama Baldé made it 2-0 on 66 minutes and Alvaro Djaló added a third in stoppage time.
- Matchday 2: Madagascar 1-1 Tanzania.
The defeat in Bissau was Guinea-Bissau’s biggest ever win over Nigeria and Nigeria’s first three-goal loss to an African side since a 5-1 defeat to Algeria at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations. Head coach Eric Chelle said afterwards that Guinea-Bissau were more aggressive and more motivated, and pointed to an unfamiliar pitch and the heat, while insisting those were not excuses. He also admitted his side stopped pressing about ten minutes into the second half.
Nigeria’s remaining fixtures
| Window | Fixture | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchday 3 | Nigeria vs Tanzania | Fri 13 November 2026 | Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo |
| Matchday 4 | Tanzania vs Nigeria | Tue 17 November 2026 | Amaan Stadium, Zanzibar, Tanzania |
| Matchday 5 or 6 | Madagascar vs Nigeria | 22 to 30 March 2027 | Madagascar |
| Matchday 5 or 6 | Nigeria vs Guinea-Bissau | 22 to 30 March 2027 | Nigeria |
Update, 7 November 2026: the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the November dates: Nigeria host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday 13 November, and the return is in Zanzibar (Amaan Stadium) on Tuesday 17 November. Earlier fixture lists giving 11 and 15 November were wrong, and talk of moving the home game to Lagos came to nothing. Kick-off times are still to be announced. Nigeria will be without Victor Osimhen (knee surgery) and Samuel Chukwueze (hip surgery). Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar play each other in the same window, so check back after 17 November for the updated table.
What do the Super Eagles need to qualify?
Nigeria have four games left and can reach a maximum of 15 points. Guinea-Bissau, already on 6, also have four games left, including the trip to Nigeria in March. Here is what the maths says:
- Win both Tanzania games. Six points in November would take Nigeria to 9 and keep the pressure on Guinea-Bissau, who face Madagascar twice in the same window. Dropping points against Tanzania, who have nothing to play for in terms of qualification but will want to impress at home, would leave Nigeria needing help.
- Win in Madagascar. Madagascar are on 1 point and were beaten in Nigeria, but they are tough at home. Anything less than a win there could end Nigeria’s chances before the last game.
- Beat Guinea-Bissau in March, ideally by a big margin. If Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau finish level on points, head-to-head decides it. Guinea-Bissau won the first game 3-0, so Nigeria would need to win the return by four goals to be sure of overturning that on head-to-head. A narrower win is only enough if Nigeria finish above Guinea-Bissau on points.
In plain terms, Nigeria probably need to win all four remaining games and hope Guinea-Bissau drop points against Madagascar or Tanzania. If Guinea-Bissau win their next three games, they will qualify before they even travel to Nigeria.
Nigeria have missed the Africa Cup of Nations before, most recently in 2015 after a home defeat to Congo in qualifying, and they also missed the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Failing to reach a 24-team AFCON in East Africa would be a major blow, which is why the November double-header against Tanzania is now must-win.
Nigeria’s Group L opponents
- Guinea-Bissau (the Djurtus): once one of Africa’s smaller football nations, Guinea-Bissau have become regular AFCON qualifiers, reaching the 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023 finals. Their squad is built largely on players from the Portuguese and French leagues, and they are very hard to beat at home in Bissau, as Nigeria found out. They have won both games so far without conceding.
- Madagascar (the Barea): famous for their run to the AFCON quarter-finals on their debut in 2019, and runners-up at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) for home-based players. They pushed Nigeria hard in the opening game and led for most of the first half.
- Tanzania (the Taifa Stars): co-hosts of the 2027 finals alongside Kenya and Uganda, so already qualified. They have a point to prove in front of home fans and will treat the Nigeria games as serious preparation for the tournament, not as dead rubbers.
For Nigeria, three-time African champions (1980, 1994 and 2013) and finalists as recently as 2024, a group like this would normally be a formality. The Bissau result shows it is not.
All 12 groups: latest AFCON 2027 qualifiers table
Here is how every group stood after matchday 2 (team, points; all teams have played two games). Host nations are marked.
| Group | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Morocco 6 | Gabon 3 | Niger 3 | Lesotho 0 |
| B | Egypt 4 | Angola 4 | Malawi 3 | South Sudan 0 |
| C | Ivory Coast 6 | Gambia 6 | Somalia 0 | Ghana 0 |
| D | South Africa 6 | Guinea 3 | Eritrea 1 | Kenya 1 (host) |
| E | DR Congo 6 | Zimbabwe 3 | Equatorial Guinea 3 | Sierra Leone 0 |
| F | Benin 4 | Burkina Faso 4 | Mauritania 3 | Central African Republic 0 |
| G | Cameroon 4 | Comoros 3 | Namibia 3 | Congo 1 |
| H | Uganda 4 (host) | Botswana 2 | Tunisia 2 | Libya 1 |
| I | Algeria 4 | Zambia 3 | Togo 3 | Burundi 1 |
| J | Senegal 4 | Mozambique 4 | Sudan 3 | Ethiopia 0 |
| K | Rwanda 6 | Mali 6 | Cape Verde 0 | Liberia 0 |
| L | Guinea-Bissau 6 | Nigeria 3 | Tanzania 1 (host) | Madagascar 1 |
Nigeria are not the only big name in trouble. Ghana have lost both games and sit bottom of Group C behind Ivory Coast and Gambia, while Cape Verde, who reached the 2026 World Cup, are pointless in Group K. Tunisia have only two points in Group H, where co-hosts Uganda lead.
How to watch the Super Eagles
Nigeria’s qualifiers are usually shown in Nigeria on free-to-air and pay-TV channels that buy the rights match by match, so check the NFF’s official channels in the days before kick-off. Our Super Eagles TV guide lists the broadcasters for each match. If you follow European football too, our guide to watching the Premier League in Nigeria explains DStv, GOtv and Showmax packages.
Related guide (updated 5 November 2026): How to Watch Nigerian Football Matches Online Legally (2026) — legal ways to watch the Super Eagles, NPFL and European football, the new DStv packages and how to avoid pirate streams.
Frequently asked questions
Which group are Nigeria in for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers?
Group L, with Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar and co-hosts Tanzania.
How many teams qualify from Nigeria’s group?
Only one besides Tanzania. Because Tanzania are already qualified as a host, the best-placed of Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Madagascar takes the group’s other place.
When is Nigeria’s next AFCON qualifier?
Nigeria host Tanzania in Uyo on Friday 13 November 2026, then play the return in Zanzibar (Amaan Stadium) on Tuesday 17 November.
Can Nigeria still qualify for AFCON 2027?
Yes. Nigeria are three points behind Guinea-Bissau with four games left, including Guinea-Bissau’s visit to Nigeria in March 2027. But Guinea-Bissau hold the head-to-head advantage, so Nigeria realistically need to win their remaining games and hope Guinea-Bissau drop points.
When and where is AFCON 2027?
In Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, from 19 June to 17 July 2027.
Sources
- Wikipedia: 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification (format, windows and tie-breakers)
- Wikipedia: 2027 AFCON qualification Group L
- Sport News Africa: AFCON 2027 qualifiers fixtures, results and tables
- Legit.ng: CAF analyses Group L standings after Guinea-Bissau beat Nigeria (2 October 2026)
- Flashscore: Guinea-Bissau inflict historic defeat on Nigeria
- AllAfrica: Why Super Eagles lost 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau, Chelle (1 October 2026)
- Soccernet: Super Eagles’ November qualifiers (7 October 2026)
- PM News: Lagos in line to host Super Eagles as CAF approval awaits (12 October 2026)
- NBC Sports: AFCON qualifying format, schedule and scores
Join the discussion
Have you tried this, or do you have a question we did not answer? 4 readers have already shared their views. Naijatipsland members help each other with real, first-hand experience.
Head-to-head is what makes March so tense. Guinea-Bissau won the first game 3-0, so a draw on points would need Nigeria to win the return by four goals. Can the Super Eagles still top Group L?
The November double-header against Tanzania is now must-win. Would you rather see the home game in Uyo or at the renovated Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos?
After matchday 2, Guinea-Bissau lead Group L on 6 points, Nigeria have 3, and co-hosts Tanzania have already qualified. What do you think Nigeria must do in the November double-header?
Tanzania have already qualified as co-hosts, so Nigeria are really racing Guinea-Bissau for the one other place. Do you think the Super Eagles can overtake them?