Nigeria’s U23 side have discovered their route to the CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2027 after receiving a bye into the second round of the qualifying campaign.
The draw, held in Cairo on Tuesday, August 25, means Nigeria will begin their qualification journey in November and face the winner of the first-round tie between Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The first-round matches are scheduled for September 28 to October 6.
The second-round tie is scheduled to take place between November 9 and 17, with Nigeria set to play the first leg away from home before hosting the return fixture.
Should the Nigerian side successfully negotiate the second round, they will face the winner of the tie involving Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Zambia in the final qualifying round.
The third round, which serves as the final stage of the qualification process, is scheduled for March 22 to 30, 2027.
Nigeria must overcome that hurdle to secure a place at the U23 AFCON finals in Egypt.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will oversee Nigeria’s U23 team during the qualifying campaign after being handed responsibility for the Olympic Eagles in June.
Chelle was given the additional role alongside his duties with the senior national team as part of plans to strengthen the pathway between Nigeria’s national teams.
The Franco-Malian tactician is expected to guide the U23 side through the AFCON qualifiers and the subsequent Olympic qualification process.
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