Super Eagles Fixtures, Squad and Results: AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Guide (October 2026)

October 12, 2026

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Banner graphic for a Super Eagles guide showing the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania on 11 and 15 November 2026

Last updated: 12 October 2026. This guide covers the Super Eagles’ fixtures, results, AFCON 2027 qualifying group and squad, and we update it as the NFF confirms new information. Squads and kick-off times can change, so check official NFF announcements before match day.

Super Eagles at a glance (12 October 2026)

Next match: Nigeria vs Tanzania, Wednesday 11 November 2026, 6pm WAT (AFCON 2027 qualifier).
Return fixture: Tanzania vs Nigeria, Sunday 15 November 2026, 6pm WAT.
Group L: Nigeria are second with 3 points, three behind leaders Guinea-Bissau, and only one team besides co-hosts Tanzania can qualify.
Latest results: Nigeria 2-1 Madagascar (25 September), Guinea-Bissau 3-0 Nigeria (29 September), Russia 3-3 Nigeria (6 October, friendly).
Head coach: Eric Chelle. Captain: Wilfred Ndidi.

When Do the Super Eagles Play Next?

The Super Eagles return to competitive action in the November international window with a home-and-away double-header against Tanzania in Group L of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. They then travel to Madagascar in March 2027.

Date	Match	Competition	Kick-off
Wednesday 11 November 2026	Nigeria vs Tanzania	AFCON 2027 qualifier	6:00pm WAT
Sunday 15 November 2026	Tanzania vs Nigeria	AFCON 2027 qualifier	6:00pm WAT
Wednesday 24 March 2027	Madagascar vs Nigeria	AFCON 2027 qualifier	6:00pm WAT
March 2027 (date to be confirmed)	Nigeria vs Guinea-Bissau	AFCON 2027 qualifier	To be confirmed

Dates and times as listed in published fixture schedules in October 2026. The venues for the November games had not been confirmed in the sources we checked.

Latest Super Eagles Results

The September and October international window delivered a win, a heavy defeat and a six-goal draw.

Super Eagles results: 2-1 win over Madagascar, 3-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau and 3-3 draw with Russia, with the next three fixtures — Super Eagles results from the September and October 2026 window, with the next three fixtures.

Nigeria 2-1 Madagascar (25 September, Uyo)

Nigeria opened their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo with a come-from-behind win. George Ilenikhena scored the equaliser and debutant Moses Usor scored the winner. The game was also a milestone for winger Moses Simon, who reached 100 caps for the Super Eagles.

Guinea-Bissau 3-0 Nigeria (29 September, Bissau)

The Super Eagles were beaten in Bissau by a side ranked 132nd in the world, against Nigeria’s ranking of 26th. Franculino Dju put Guinea-Bissau ahead in the 15th minute, Mama Balde doubled the lead in the 66th minute, and Alvaro Djalo completed the scoring. It was the first time Eric Chelle’s side had lost a competitive match in regulation time since he took over, and Nigeria’s heaviest defeat against African opposition since a 5-1 loss to Algeria at the 1990 AFCON.

Chelle made three changes from the Madagascar game, starting Bright Osayi-Samuel, Frank Onyeka and Taiwo Awoniyi, and brought on Moses Usor and Moses Simon at half-time. Afterwards he acknowledged that Guinea-Bissau were more aggressive and better on the night, but said Nigeria could still qualify with four group games left.

Russia 3-3 Nigeria (6 October, Nizhny Novgorod)

In a friendly, Chelle fielded a heavily rotated team. Only six of the starting eleven had previously played for the Super Eagles, and nine players made their debuts during the match. Kelechi Iheanacho scored first, in the 11th minute, for his 15th international goal. Russia scored twice before the break and made it 3-1 early in the second half. Nineteen-year-old debutant Peter Edokpolor then scored in the 78th minute, and Akor Adams struck deep in stoppage time to earn a point. The friendly does not count towards the qualifiers, but it gave Chelle a chance to test squad depth.

AFCON 2027 Qualifying: Group L Explained

Nigeria are in Group L with Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar and Tanzania. The qualifying format has an unusual twist: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will co-host the 2027 finals, so Tanzania are already guaranteed a place. That leaves only one qualifying spot for Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar to fight over, and only the team that finishes top of that three-way contest goes through.

Group L table after two rounds: Guinea-Bissau 6 points, Nigeria 3, Madagascar 1 and Tanzania 1 — AFCON 2027 qualifying Group L after two rounds of matches.

What Nigeria need

Win both games against Tanzania. Chelle has said the target is maximum points in November. Tanzania are already qualified as hosts, which can make the double-header unpredictable.
Close the gap on Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria sit three points behind, with a goal difference of minus 2 against plus 5, so goal difference could matter at the end.
Win the head-to-head in March. Nigeria still host Guinea-Bissau in the group, which could decide who goes to the finals. Nigeria also travel to Madagascar on 24 March.

Timeline of Super Eagles AFCON 2027 qualifiers from September 2026 to the finals in June 2027 — The road to AFCON 2027. Spacing is illustrative, not to scale.

The 2027 AFCON is scheduled for June 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Nigeria have won the tournament three times, in 1980, 1994 and 2013, and missing the finals would be a major setback for the team after they also failed to reach the 2026 World Cup following a playoff defeat to DR Congo.

Super Eagles Squad

Eric Chelle named 24 players on 17 September 2026 for the Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau qualifiers. The squad has three goalkeepers, nine defenders, four midfielders and eight forwards.

Super Eagles 24 player squad by position: three goalkeepers, nine defenders, four midfielders and eight forwards — The Super Eagles squad for the September 2026 qualifiers. Taiwo Awoniyi replaced the injured Victor Osimhen.

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali, Maduka Okoye, Arthur Okonkwo.
Defenders: Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, Isaac James, Benjamin Fredricks, Emmanuel Fernandez, Chibuike Nwaiwu.
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (captain), Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika.
Forwards: Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Tolu Arokodare, George Ilenikhena, Moses Usor, Taiwo Awoniyi.

Why is Victor Osimhen not in the squad?

Victor Osimhen was named in the original squad but strained his right thigh playing for Galatasaray on 20 September, and CAF confirmed he would miss both September qualifiers. Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi was called up in his place. Osimhen’s availability for November had not been confirmed in the reports we checked, so watch for the NFF’s squad announcement.

The experimental squad for the Russia friendly

For the Russia game, Chelle selected a different, younger group, including uncapped players such as goalkeeper Samuel James and defender Victory Akpe, and left out established names including Osimhen and Lookman. That is why the 6 October team looked so different from the one that played in Bissau. Chelle usually picks separate squads for competitive qualifiers and friendlies.

Key players to watch

Wilfred Ndidi captains the side and anchors midfield.
Ademola Lookman of Atletico Madrid is Nigeria’s most dangerous attacker.
Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey of Fulham provide Premier League experience in midfield and defence.
Taiwo Awoniyi and Frank Onyeka of Coventry City are both in the squad.
George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor both scored against Madagascar, and Usor did so on his debut.

Eric Chelle and the Pressure Ahead of November

Chelle, a Franco-Malian coach, had avoided defeat in regulation time in every competitive game until the loss in Bissau. He now faces a decisive November. He also coaches Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles (the under-23 side), which makes the schedule awkward, because the U23 team could face DR Congo only two days before Nigeria host Tanzania. Media commentary after the Guinea-Bissau defeat has questioned his tactics, while the Russia result gave him some encouragement.

Key Terms Explained

AFCON: the Africa Cup of Nations, the continent’s main national team tournament.
NFF: the Nigeria Football Federation, which runs the national teams.
CAF: the Confederation of African Football, which organises AFCON.
WAT: West Africa Time, the time zone used for Nigerian kick-offs.
Co-host: a country that stages the tournament and qualifies automatically.
Goal difference: goals scored minus goals conceded, used to separate teams level on points.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Super Eagles’ next match?

Nigeria host Tanzania on Wednesday 11 November 2026 at 6pm WAT in an AFCON 2027 qualifier, then play in Tanzania on Sunday 15 November at 6pm WAT.

Who is the Super Eagles coach?

Eric Chelle is the head coach. He also coaches the Olympic Eagles, Nigeria’s under-23 team.

Who is the Super Eagles captain?

Wilfred Ndidi is the captain.

What happened in the last Super Eagles game?

Nigeria drew 3-3 with Russia in a friendly on 6 October 2026, coming from 3-1 down. Kelechi Iheanacho, debutant Peter Edokpolor and Akor Adams scored for the Super Eagles.

Can Nigeria still qualify for AFCON 2027?

Yes. Nigeria have three points from two games and four matches left. Only one team from Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar can qualify, because Tanzania are in as co-hosts.

Is Victor Osimhen injured?

He missed the September qualifiers with a thigh strain suffered on 20 September. His availability for November had not been confirmed in the reports we checked.