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The road to AFCON 2025 has been set for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, with the three-time African champions once again facing familiar opponents.
In the draw for the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, the Super Eagles were placed in Group D alongside Benin Republic, Rwanda, and Libya with only the top two teams from each group qualifying for the tournament, which is set to begin in December 2025.
A Crucial Test Ahead
This group poses a significant challenge for the Super Eagles, as they are also drawn alongside Benin and Rwanda in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Benin Republic under Gernot Rohr recently coached the team to a 2-1 victory against the Super Eagles while Nigeria is yet to play Rwanda in the World Cup qualifiers.
Benin’s German head coach Gernot Rohr (L). (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP) (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images)
The matches against these familiar foes will serve as a crucial test for the Super Eagles’ with success in the AFCON qualifiers which could boost their confidence and performance in the World Cup qualifiers, where they are currently fifth in their group with three points.
The team missed out on the last World Cup in Qatar, and it appears they will need to be fully dedicated and prepared to secure a ticket this time by winning all their Six remaining matches.
The Super Eagles were runners-up in the 2023 AFCON, where they narrowly lost 2-1 to host nation Ivory Coast despite leading in the first half.
2025 AFCON Qualifiers Group Draw: