Nigeria begin their AFCON 2025 campaign on Tuesday in Morocco with a Group C opener against Tanzania, a fixture that connects the present with the past, Footynaija.com reports.
The Super Eagles last met the Taifa Stars in an AFCON opener back in 1980, a tournament Nigeria went on to win. Nearly 45 years later, that opening game still sets the tone for how this campaign is seen.
AFCON 2025 is here, and Nigeria are back chasing a fourth title after going so close in Ivory Coast. Eric Chelle’s squad is packed with experience and players who’ve handled the pressure before.
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Morocco kicked off this year’s edition with a solid 2-0 win over Comoros on Sunday night, setting the tone for the tournament. For the three-time African champions, the action begins Tuesday against Tanzania. But beyond just the points, a strong start has always meant a lot for Nigeria at AFCON, and this time is no different.
Nigeria’s Records in AFCON Openers
Historically, Nigeria have made strong starts at AFCON. For years, the Super Eagles have used their opening games to make a statement, not just to settle in. From the 1960s through the 1990s, Nigeria often kicked off their AFCON campaigns with wins.
One of the standout examples is AFCON 1980 in Lagos, where the then Green Eagles kicked off with a commanding 3-1 win over Tanzania. They set the pace early, dominated throughout, and rode that momentum all the way to their first AFCON title.
Nigeria followed that pattern in later editions. At AFCON 1992 in Senegal, they edged the hosts 2-1 in their opener, handling the pressure with calm. In 2000, as co-hosts, the Super Eagles started strong again beating Tunisia 4-2 in Lagos with attacking flair that carried them all the way to the final.
Recent Results
That trend continued in recent editions. At the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, Nigeria opened their campaign with a narrow 1–0 win over Burundi, settled by Odion Ighalo’s second half strike in Alexandria. Three years later, at the 2021 finals played in early 2022, the Super Eagles again started on the front foot, defeating host nation Egypt 1–0 in Garoua, with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring the decisive goal in the first half.
Most recently, at AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast, Nigeria started with a 1–1 draw against Equatorial Guinea. The Super Eagles saw more of the ball but went behind before Victor Osimhen’s header pulled them level.
So far, Nigeria has played 20 AFCON openers, winning 13, drawing 2, and losing 5 — a strong record by any standard.
As the Super Eagles take on Tanzania on Tuesday, the aim is to start strong and keep the momentum going. On paper, Tuesday’s game looks favourable, with the Taifa Stars yet to record a single win in AFCON history and still working to make their mark on the continental stage.
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