Super Eagles of Nigeria have been grouped with Tanzania, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau for the qualification series of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The draw ceremony for the continental qualifiers was held on Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt, with Nigeria placed in Group L ahead of the tournament to be hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.
The three-time African champions are familiar with all three opponents, having faced Guinea-Bissau in both the 2021 AFCON and the qualifiers for the 2023 edition.
Nigeria also defeated Tanzania 2-1 during the 2025 AFCON campaign, while Madagascar stunned the Super Eagles at the 2019 tournament before Nigeria eventually finished with a bronze medal.
A total of 12 groups will compete in the qualifiers, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the competition after six matchdays scheduled between September and March.
Elsewhere, rivals Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire were drawn together in Group C alongside Gambia and Somalia in one of the headline fixtures of the qualifiers.
South Africa will battle Guinea and Eritrea in Group D, while Morocco, Senegal, and Cape Verde also secured challenging groups in the race for qualification.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe has meanwhile assured football fans that preparations for the 2027 AFCON in East Africa remain on course despite concerns over infrastructure delays.
AFCON 2027 Qualification Draw
Group A
Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
Group B
Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
Group C
Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, Somalia
Group D
South Africa, Guinea, Kenya (co-host), Eritrea
Group E
Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
Group F
Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
Group G
Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo Brazzaville
Group H
Tunisia, Uganda (co-host), Libya, Botswana
Group I
Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
Group J
Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
Group K
Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
Group L
Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania (co-host), Guinea-Bissau
Note: Winners and runners-up qualify from nine groups, not including a co-host. In three groups, including a co-host, only one other team qualifies
Matchdays
1, 2: September 21-Oct 6
3, 4: November 9-17
5, 6: March 22-30 2027