Nigeria vs Madagascar on September 25: Super Eagles Open AFCON 2027 Qualifying in Uyo
Key Facts
- What. A 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria and Madagascar, Group L.
- When. Friday, September 25, 2026, at 4 p.m. local time.
- Where. Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria.
- Group context. Group L includes co-host Tanzania; only the best non-host team from the group qualifies in addition to Tanzania.
- Next match. Nigeria travels to face Guinea-Bissau on September 29 for matchday 2.
Nigeria Madagascar AFCON qualifier action opens Group L play on Friday, September 25, 2026, at 4 p.m., as the Super Eagles host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles begin their qualifying campaign for the next Africa Cup of Nations at home this month, in a group with an unusual co-host wrinkle.
Nigeria Madagascar AFCON Qualifier: Group L Kicks Off
Nigeria’s Super Eagles open their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign at home against Madagascar on September 25, 2026, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
The match has been independently verified through multiple Nigerian sports outlets, confirming both the September 25 date and the 4 p.m. kickoff time at the Uyo venue.
A Group With a Co-Host Twist
Group L includes Tanzania as a tournament co-host, which changes the usual qualifying math: only the best-performing non-host team in the group secures an additional qualifying spot alongside Tanzania’s automatic berth.
That structure raises the stakes for Nigeria, Madagascar and the group’s other teams, since Tanzania’s guaranteed spot means fewer qualifying places are actually up for competition within the group.
Uyo as a Home Fixture Venue
The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo has hosted Nigerian national team matches before, giving the Super Eagles a well-established home venue with strong local crowd support.
Uyo’s selection for this qualifying opener continues Nigeria’s pattern of spreading major fixtures beyond Lagos and Abuja to stadiums across the country.
What Comes Next for Nigeria
After the Madagascar match, Nigeria travels for matchday 2 against Guinea-Bissau on September 29, giving the Super Eagles back-to-back qualifying fixtures within days of each other.
Results from both matches will shape early Group L standings heading into the qualifying campaign’s later rounds.
Following the Match
Nigerian sports broadcasters and Concacaf-equivalent African football channels are expected to carry the match, alongside CAF’s own official channels for qualifying fixtures.
Fans outside Nigeria can follow updates through CAF’s official qualifying schedule and coverage from outlets that have already confirmed the fixture details.
Getting to the Stadium in Uyo
The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium sits in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, reachable by road from other parts of southern Nigeria, with local transport options available on matchday.
Given Nigeria’s strong football following, arriving well ahead of the 4 p.m. kickoff is advisable for anyone planning to attend in person, since local turnout for Super Eagles home matches routinely fills stadium approaches hours before kickoff.
What Expats in Nigeria Should Know
For newcomers unfamiliar with Nigerian football culture, a Super Eagles home qualifier is as much a social event as a sporting one, with viewing parties and public screenings common even outside Uyo itself.
Traffic around the stadium typically builds well before kickoff on matchday, so residents commuting through Uyo that afternoon should plan for delays regardless of whether they are attending.
One Ticket, Three Teams
Group L looks like four teams competing for two places. It is not. Tanzania are already qualified as a tournament co-host, so only the best-placed non-host goes through.
That leaves Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau chasing a single ticket. The 2027 finals, branded Pamoja 2027, are staged by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July, East Africa’s first.
Forty-eight teams were drawn into 12 groups of four in Cairo in May. Twenty-four reach the finals, and the three host groups each surrender one of their two places.
The 2019 Ghost, and a Missing Centre-Forward
Nigeria have won three of the five meetings between these sides, but the one that matters is the most recent. Madagascar beat them 2-0 in Alexandria in June 2019, in Madagascar’s first AFCON, to top the group.
Eric Chelle goes into the opener without Victor Osimhen, ruled out with an adductor injury, and without Tochukwu Nnadi, who has a cruciate ligament tear. Zaidu Sanusi and Zadok Yohanna are also absent.
Chelle took the unusual step of naming two squads for the window, a first-choice group for the qualifier and a largely home-based group for a separate friendly against Russia.
Uyo’s Godswill Akpabio International Stadium holds 30,000, cost about US$96 million and opened in 2014. Nigerians call it the Nest of Champions, and it has become the Super Eagles’ preferred home.
The context is unforgiving. Nigeria lost the African play-off final to DR Congo on penalties in November 2025 and their protest to FIFA was rejected in March, so this campaign is the whole horizon.
More: Nigeria news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Nigeria and Madagascar play?
Friday, September 25, 2026, at 4 p.m., at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
What competition is this match part of?
2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Group L.
Why is Group L different from other groups?
It includes tournament co-host Tanzania, so only the best non-host team in the group earns an additional qualifying spot.
When does Nigeria play next after Madagascar?
September 29, 2026, away against Guinea-Bissau, for matchday 2.
Connected Coverage
Living in Nigeria? See our expat guides to sports, events and daily life across the country.
Sources: CAF (September 4, 2026), Legit.ng (September 4, 2026), Guardian Nigeria (September 9, 2026).
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