Nigeria will face either Mauritania or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the second round of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.
The draw for the qualifying competition was conducted in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, with Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles among the 14 teams granted byes into the second round based on their performances in the previous three editions of the tournament.
Mauritania and DR Congo will first battle for a place in the second round, where the winner will face Nigeria.
Should the U-23 Eagles progress, they will take on the winner of the tie between Burkina Faso and either Sierra Leone or Zambia for a place at the 2027 U-23 AFCON.
The qualifying series will begin in September, with the first-round fixtures to be played over two legs. The first legs are scheduled for 28 September, while the return matches will take place on 6 October 2026.
Nigeria will enter the competition in the second round, with the first-leg fixtures billed for 9 November and the reverse ties scheduled for 17 November 2026.
The winners of the second-round ties will advance to the third and final qualifying round.
Seven teams will eventually qualify from the series to join hosts Egypt at the eight-team finals of the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.
The tournament will also serve as Africa’s qualifying competition for the football event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
