U-23 AFCONQ: Nigeria draw Mauritania or DR Congo in second round

Nigeria will take on either Mauritania or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the second round of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.

The draw for the qualifying competition was conducted in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday.

Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles are among the 14 teams handed byes into the second round based on their performances in the previous three editions of the tournament.

Should Nigeria advance, they will then face the winner of Burkina Faso versus Sierra Leone/Zambia for a place at the U-23 AFCON.

The qualifying series will get underway in September, with the first-round matches scheduled to be played over two legs.

The first legs will take place on Monday, 28 September, while the return fixtures are billed for Tuesday, 6 October 2026.

Nigeria will enter the competition in the second round, with the first-leg ties scheduled for Monday, 9 November and the reverse fixtures set for Tuesday, 17 November 2026.

The winners will progress to the third and final qualifying round.

Seven teams will eventually emerge from the qualifiers to join hosts Egypt at the eight-team 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations finals.

The tournament will also serve as Africa’s qualifying competition for the football event of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.