By Eteteonline
The African Cup of Nations, or AFCON, has a long history that began in 1957 when Sudan hosted the inaugural tournament. Three nations, specifically Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt, competed in the first championship.
Over time, the competition has grown to include 24 countries, having started with just three. But over time, it has become the most cherished soccer competition among African nations.
As the biennial tournament for all of Africa, the competition did, in fact, continue to get increased attention due to its significance and size.
A significant alteration to the schedule has been announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The AFCON will take place every four years beginning in 2028. The African Nations League, a new yearly competition, was introduced at the same time as this change.
The Super Eagles, the national squad of Nigeria, have won the trophy three times, according to records. The first took place in Tunisia in 1984 and at home in 1980. At the 23rd edition in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2013, it achieved its third victory.
Since then, Nigeria has failed to win the title. Last time around, they lost to Cote d’Ivoire in the 2023 final after coming quite close.
Can Nigeria, however, win the 35th competition, which Morocco will host from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026? It can, indeed!
With victories in all three games (Nigeria 2–1 Tanzania; Nigeria 3–2 Tunisia; and Uganda 1–3 Nigeria), Nigeria is the only nation out of the 24 to have a perfect record in the competition’s group stage.
On Monday, January 5, 2026, Nigeria will play Mozambique in the Round of 16, which should be a landslide victory.
Why can’t Nigeria win the trophy in Morocco a few years after winning it in Tunisia and Johannesburg? The Super Eagles are, after all, a highly regarded squad throughout the world.
However, soccer commentators think that the horrible sickness of ill-preparedness or poor arrangements for key events has remained the plague of our soccer excellence.
Key players arriving late to camp is an example of such poor planning, which nearly invariably results in a lack of unity among the players.
All of the flaws that were found to have contributed to the Super Eagles’ poor performance versus lesser-known teams in the past have been fixed.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President, has kept his promise to the Super Eagles regarding AFCON 2023. Before Nigeria’s opening match against Tanzania, the team was presented with homes, land documents, and national honors.
As Nigeria looks to win a fourth AFCON championship, President Tinubu’s gesture is anticipated to raise player morale.
According to reports, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has decided to quadruple the Super Eagles’ bonus for the 2025 AFCON Round of 16 in Morocco. Each NFF member will pay $30,000.
The Super Eagles need to understand that Nigerians have enormous expectations. Nigerians want to watch successful matches that yield positive outcomes.
Victor Osimhen, a striker, has boldly told Nigeria’s adversaries that the Super Eagles can crush any team they play against in the 2025 AFCON. Saying that Nigeria is not afraid of any side, he has issued challenges to Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa. Nigerians hope they have a successful trip to Morocco for the 2025–2026 AFCON.
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