Super Eagles will be among the top seeds for tomorrow’s 2025 AFCON draw in Johannesburg, South Africa, and so avoid some of Africa’s football heavyweights in the qualifiers.
The Super Eagles were beaten finalists at the delayed 2023 AFCON earlier this year in Cote d’Ivoire and also enjoy a favourable FIFA ranking.
Reigning champions Cote d’Ivoire, hosts Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon, South Africa and perennial rivals Ghana will also head one of the 12 qualifying groups and so avoid each other.
This is based on their recent AFCON records as well as FIFA rankings.
Super Eagles could therefore draw 2026 World Cup rivals Benin, Lesotho and Rwanda as they are not among the top seeds.
The 48 qualified teams will be split into 12 groups of four with the top two automatically advancing to the tournament proper, which kicks off December 21, 2025.
The qualifying series will begin in September and be concluded in November.