After the heartbreak of missing out on a trip to North America in 2026 for the FIFA World Cup finals, Nigeria arrive in Morocco in search of redemption and continental glory. The three-time champions this evening open their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 campaign against Group C opponents Tanzania, who have appeared at the tournament just three times.
Already, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has admitted that the team owe Nigerians an apology for failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
Tuesday’s face-off in Fez pits together Nigeria and Tanzania for only the second time at the continental championships, 45 years after their first meeting at the competition in the opening game of the 1980 AFCON, which Nigeria hosted and won. The then Green Eagles triumphed 3-1 in that encounter.
Boasting world-class talent in Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Nigeria are among the favourites to top the Group C in Morocco 2025, which also features Tunisia and Uganda.
Nigeria’s squad is packed with talent in all departments, including defender Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, and striker Samuel Chukwueze, and other high-profile players.
But the Super Eagles will be without centre-back Benjamin Fredrick and full-back Ola Aina, who are both injured.
A month to AFCON 2025, Tanzania’s football federation fired its coach, Hemed Suleiman, replacing him with Miguel Gamondi, who will take interim charge of the Taifa Stars for the competition.
Former coach Suleiman led Tanzania to their fourth AFCON appearance and reached the quarterfinals of the African Nations Championships this year. But they failed to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tanzania’s squad include Mbwana Samatta, who plays for Ligue 1 club Le Havre, and fellow experienced forward Simon Msuva headline Tanzania’s squad.
Msuva returns after missing the October and November windows and remains the most capped member of the squad. An appearance on Tuesday will mark his 100th international cap.
Defender Mohamed Hussein is a formidable presence in the backline, while youngster Haji Mnoga, who plays for Salford City in the English fourth tier, is also part of the squad.
New coach Gamondi dropped experienced midfielder Mudathir Yahya from the squad, but apart from that, there are no absentees.
Nigeria lost in the continental playoff to DR Congo to miss the second FIFA World Cup in a row. The Nigeria Football Federation is, however, still challenging the eligibility of several Congolese players for the African qualifiers.
In an interview on Sunday with Pooja, Osimhen, the 2023 African Footballer, said that the disappointment from missing out on the FIFA World Cup is still fresh in the minds of the players, who are fully aware of the pain felt by fans across the country and in the diaspora.
‘We want to use this opportunity to say we are sorry for not getting the World Cup ticket.
‘We know the disappointment on the faces of many Nigerian fans. Life has happened, so we have to keep it moving, and this AFCON is an opportunity for us to do well’, Osimhen said.
Osimhen revealed that the sense of responsibility within the camp is strong, despite expectations remaining high.
According to him, the players are motivated rather than burdened by pressure, drawing confidence from the quality within the squad and the technical bench.
He said: ‘The expectation is really high, not just within the camp but also from Super Eagles fans all over the world.
‘But there is no pressure among my teammates, myself, or the coach because we know the kind of quality he possesses’.
Osimhen stressed that words alone are not enough, insisting that the team must show its commitment through hard work and results.
‘It’s not going to be easy. We have to fight for every game and every ball. We have to try to win every game and see if we can get to the final and win it’.
Tanzania have never made it past the group stage in their three AFCON appearances. They are also one of only four teams at this year’s edition that have never won an AFCON match, with six defeats and three draws in their nine AFCON matches overall.
