The Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles, have touched down in Morocco to commence their final phase of preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The squad arrived from Egypt, where they had been holding a training camp, and immediately held their first training session in the city of Fez.
From Egyptian Camp to Moroccan Base
The team's journey to the tournament host nation followed a five-day preparatory camp in Egypt. During their stay there, Coach Eric Chelle oversaw a test match against the Egyptian national team, the Pharaohs. Nigeria narrowly lost that encounter with a scoreline of 1-2, as the technical crew began fine-tuning tactics for the continental championship where Nigeria is considered a strong contender for the title.
Upon arrival in Morocco, the Super Eagles wasted no time, holding a training session that lasted nearly two hours. The session marked the first time star striker Victor Osimhen and winger Simon Moses trained with the full squad, having been the last players to join the camp.
Intensive Final Preparations and Group Stage Path
According to the team's published schedule, the players are set for two training sessions today. The first 15 minutes of the morning session will be open for media coverage, allowing journalists a glimpse of the team's final drills.
Nigeria's campaign in the tournament kicks off with their first Group C match against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania. Their subsequent group fixtures are against Tunisia's Carthage Eagles on December 27, and Uganda's Cranes on December 30. All of Nigeria's group stage matches will be played at the Complexe Sportif de Fes.
Knockout Stage Venues Depend on Group Finish
The team's path through the knockout stages is clearly mapped out and depends on their final position in Group C. If the Super Eagles finish as group winners, they will remain in Fez for the Round of 16 match. Advancing further would see them travel to Marrakech for the quarter-final, and then to the capital, Rabat, for both the semi-final and final.
However, a second-place finish in the group would alter their journey. In that scenario, their Round of 16 match would be in Casablanca, followed by a quarter-final and semi-final in Tangier, before a potential final in Rabat. The tournament's climax, the final, is scheduled for January 18, 2026, at the 68,000-capacity Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat.
With the tournament set to begin this weekend, the Super Eagles are now in their final countdown, aiming to translate their preparations into a successful campaign and bring the AFCON trophy back to Nigeria.
