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Nigeria will have to finish above Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau to secure a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after the draw placed them in a unique Group L on Tuesday.
The draw, held at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo, saw former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong assisting with proceedings.
Forty-eight teams are chasing 24 slots for the finals, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
While the Super Eagles were seeded in Pot 1 and avoided some of the continent’s heavyweights, their path is complicated by the presence of Tanzania.
The co-hosts have already booked their place, meaning only the group winner will progress to the finals.
The same rule applies to any group containing one of the three hosts. In the remaining groups, the top two teams will qualify.
Elsewhere, 2023 champions Côte d’Ivoire find themselves in a potentially explosive Group C alongside Ghana, The Gambia and Somalia.
Reigning champions Senegal, who won the 2025 edition, will face Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia in Group J. Morocco, hosts of the last AFCON, will battle Gabon, Niger and Lesotho.
The qualifying campaign will stretch across three international windows. Matchdays one and two are set for September 21 to October 6, 2026, followed by matchdays three and four from November 9 to 17, 2026.
The final round of matches will be played from March 22 to 30, 2027, when the full tournament line-up will be confirmed.
