Right here is the route the Nigeria U‑23 can observe to qualify for the 2027 AFCON and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Softfootball can verify that the AFCON for the U‑23 males serves because the qualifying match for the Olympics, that means the Nigerian U‑23 should qualify for the African Nations Cup earlier than qualifying for the Olympics.
Egypt, who’re internet hosting the U‑23 AFCON, have already certified for the AFCON and technically for the 2028 Olympics.
Right here is the route Nigeria has to observe:
Second Spherical (9–17 November 2026)
Nigeria 🇳🇬 vs Winner of Mauritania 🇲🇷 vs DR Congo 🇨🇩
Third Spherical (22–30 March 2027)
Winner of (Mauritania/DR Congo vs Nigeria) will face Winner of (Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 / Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 vs Zambia 🇿🇲)
Win each rounds → Qualify for 2027 U‑23 AFCON → Struggle for Olympic ticket to LA 2028.
FULL FIRST ROUND FIXTURES (20 Sept – 6 Oct 2026)
- Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 vs Burkina Faso
- 🇧🇫 Mauritania 🇲🇷 vs DR Congo
- 🇨🇩 São Tomé 🇸🇹 vs Equatorial Guinea
- 🇬🇶 Togo 🇹🇬 vs Libya
- 🇱🇾 Tunisia 🇹🇳 vs Benin
- 🇧🇯 Kenya 🇰🇪 vs Tanzania
- 🇹🇿 Djibouti 🇩🇯 vs South Sudan
- 🇸🇸 Ethiopia 🇪🇹 vs Uganda
- 🇺🇬 Rwanda 🇷🇼 vs Sudan
- 🇸🇩 Comoros 🇰🇲 vs Madagascar
- 🇲🇬 Angola 🇦🇴 vs Namibia
- 🇳🇦 Seychelles 🇸🇨 vs Botswana
- 🇧🇼 Malawi 🇲🇼 vs Eswatini
- 🇸🇿 Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 vs Mauritius 🇲🇺
SECOND ROUND FIXTURES (9–17 Nov 2026)
- Sierra Leone/Burkina Faso vs Zambia
- 🇿🇲 Mauritania/DR Congo vs Nigeria 🇳🇬
- São Tomé/Eq. Guinea vs Niger 🇳🇪
- Togo/Libya vs Ghana 🇬🇭
- Tunisia/Benin vs Gabon
- 🇬🇦 Kenya/Tanzania vs Côte d’Ivoire
- 🇨🇮 Djibouti/South Sudan vs Senegal
- 🇸🇳 Ethiopia/Uganda vs Morocco
- 🇲🇦 Rwanda/Sudan vs Cameroon
- 🇨🇲 Comoros/Madagascar vs South Africa
- 🇿🇦 Angola/Namibia vs Congo
- 🇨🇬 Seychelles/Botswana vs Guinea
- 🇬🇳 Malawi/Eswatini vs Algeria
- 🇩🇿 Zimbabwe/Mauritius vs Mali 🇲🇱
THIRD ROUND PAIRINGS (22–30 March 2027)
Winner of Sierra Leone/Burkina Faso vs Zambia vs Winner of Mauritania/DR Congo vs Nigeria
(The opposite six third‑spherical ties will probably be determined the identical means, consecutive second‑spherical winners paired in opposition to one another.)
