Super Eagles Set Dates for Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau AFCON 2027 Qualifiers

Nigeria's schedule for the opening rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign has been mapped out, with fixtures confirmed against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

According to a report by Complete Sports, the Super Eagles will open their qualification journey on home soil before heading on the road for their second group encounter.

The campaign begins in Akwa Ibom State, with Nigeria set to host Madagascar's Barea at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Wednesday, September 23.

The venue has regularly served as the preferred home base for the three-time African champions, offering familiar surroundings as the team seeks to secure early momentum in the qualification phase.

Starting at home provides an immediate opportunity to establish control in the group, though Madagascar have proven in past continental competitions to be a well-organised defensive unit capable of frustrating higher-ranked opposition.

Following the opening fixture in Uyo, Eric Chelle's side will shift focus to an away engagement against Guinea-Bissau. That Matchday Two clash against the Djurtus is scheduled to take place on neutral territory in Morocco.

Guinea-Bissau have frequently staged home fixtures in Morocco due to stadium homologation requirements, presenting Nigeria with a familiar logistical route in North Africa. Encounters between Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau have developed into a competitive continental rivalry in recent qualification and tournament cycles, making the neutral-venue clash a key early test for Chelle's technical setup.

With two competitive fixtures packed into the opening window, the priority for the technical bench will be ensuring smooth preparation and navigating the travel schedule between Nigeria and Morocco. Starting strongly remains vital in modern AFCON qualifying formats where slip-ups in the opening rounds can rapidly complicate progression.

Further logistical details, including squad selections and exact kick-off times, are expected to be finalised as the international window approaches.