AFCON 2025 Qualifiers Draw: Nigeria Paired In Group D Against Benin, Rwanda – [See Full Draw]

The Nigerian national men’s football team, the Super Eagles, a team with a rich history of achievements, have been paired in Group D for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers after a draw in South Africa on Thursday.

Sportxparte reports that Nigeria is set to compete against the Benin Republic, Rwanda, and Libya in what is expected to be a fiercely competitive Group D.

The draw, which determines the path to Morocco in 2025, involved 48 nations split into 12 groups of four teams each.

The leading two teams from 11 of these groups will secure direct entry to the finals, which are scheduled to begin on December 21, 2025, and end on January 18, 2026.

This setup is designed to make the qualification process more efficient and increase the tournament’s competitiveness.

In a surprising turn for Group B, the Moroccan team, as the host, will be guaranteed a spot in the finals, regardless of their performance in the qualifiers.

This leaves the other teams in the Group competing for the sole remaining spot, adding more pressure to the games in that Group.

The tournament’s qualifying rounds are strategically planned to occur during the FIFA windows in September, October, and November of this year, a period that holds great significance for international football.

Below is the AFCON 2025 Draw as done in Johannesburg on Thursday:

Group A: Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, Gambia

Group B: Morocco (hosts), Gabon, Central African Republic, Lesotho

Group C: Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Botswana

Group D: Nigeria, Benin, Libya, Rwanda

Group E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Liberia

Group F: Ghana, Angola, Sudan, Niger

Group G: Ivory Coast (holders), Zambia, Sierra Leone, Chad

Group H: Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Tanzania, Ethiopia

Group I: Mali, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Eswatini

Group J: Cameroon, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe

Group K: South Africa, Uganda, Congo Brazzaville, South Sudan

Group L: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Burundi

Matchday Schedules:

Sept 2-10: Matchdays 1, 2

Oct 7-15: Matchdays 3, 4

Nov 11-15: Matchdays 5, 6