2025 AFCON: Things to know about Nigeria’s Group C opponents

As the continent’s top footballers gear up for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the tournament is set to make history as the first to be played over Christmas and New Year.

The competition kicks off on Sunday, December 21, with hosts Morocco facing Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat at 19:00 GMT, while the final will be played on Sunday, January 18, 2026.

Nigeria have been drawn in Group C, alongside Tunisia, Tanzania and Uganda.

Below is a breakdown of the Super Eagles and their group rivals.

NIGERIA

Fixtures:
Dec 23 v Tanzania, Fes (1200)
Dec 27 v Tunisia, Fes (1200)
Dec 30 v Uganda, Fes (1700)

Qualifying: Group D winners

Results:
Benin 3-0 (home), 1-1 (away)
Rwanda 1-2 (away), 0-0 (home)
Libya 1-0 (home), 3-0 (away)

Leading scorers: 2 – Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen
Captain: Wilfred Ndidi (midfielder)
Coach: Eric Chelle (CIV)
Rankings: Africa: 5 | World: 38
Previous appearances: 20
Best placing: Champions – 1980, 1994, 2013
Most goals scored: DR Congo 4-2 (1976), Burkina Faso 4-2 (1978), Tunisia 4-2 (2000), South Africa 4-0 (2004), Mali 4-1 (2013)
Most goals conceded: Egypt 3-6 (1963)
Popular name: Super Eagles

TUNISIA

Fixtures:
Dec 23 v Uganda, Rabat (1430)
Dec 27 v Nigeria, Fes (1200)
Dec 30 v Tanzania, Rabat (1700)

Qualifying: Group A runners-up

Results:
Comoros 0-1 (home), 1-1 (away)
Gambia 0-1 (away), 2-1 (home)
Madagascar 1-0 (home), 3-2 (away)

Leading scorer: 2 – Ali Abdi
Captain: Ferjani Sassi (midfielder)
Coach: Sami Trabelsi (TUN)
Rankings: Africa: 6 | World: 40
Previous appearances: 21
Best placing: Champions – 2004
Most goals scored: Ethiopia 4-0 (1965), Zambia 4-2 (1996), Zambia 4-1 (2006), Zimbabwe 4-2 (2017), Mauritania 4-0 (2022)
Most goals conceded: Ethiopia 2-4 (1962, 1963), Nigeria 2-4 (2000)
Popular name: Carthage Eagles

TANZANIA

Fixtures:
Dec 23 v Nigeria, Fes (1200)
Dec 27 v Uganda, Rabat (1430)
Dec 30 v Tunisia, Rabat (1700)

Qualifying: Group H runners-up

Results:
DR Congo 0-2 (home), 0-1 (away)
Guinea 1-0 (home), 2-1 (away)
Ethiopia 0-0 (away), 2-0 (home)

Leading scorers: 2 – Simon Msuva, Feisal Salum
Captain: Mbwana Samatta (forward)
Coach: Miguel Gamondi (ARG)
Rankings: Africa: 27 | World: 112
Previous appearances: 3
Best placing: Never past first round
Most goals scored: Kenya 2-3 (2019)
Most goals conceded: Kenya 2-3, Algeria 0-3 (2019), Morocco 0-3 (2024)
Popular name: Taifa Stars

UGANDA

Fixtures:
Dec 23 v Tunisia, Rabat (1430)
Dec 27 v Tanzania, Rabat (1430)
Dec 30 v Nigeria, Fes (1700)

Qualifying: Group K runners-up

Results:
South Africa 0-2 (home), 2-2 (away)
Congo Brazzaville 2-0 (home), 1-0 (away)
South Sudan 1-0 (home), 2-1 (away)

Leading scorer: 2 – Denis Omedi
Captain: Khalid Aucho (midfielder)
Coach: Paul Put (BEL)
Rankings: Africa: 17 | World: 85
Previous appearances: 7
Best placing: Runners-up – 1978
Most goals scored: Congo 3-1, Morocco 3-0 (1978)
Most goals conceded: Algeria 0-4 (1968)
Popular name: Cranes

GROUP C HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS

Nigeria v Tanzania

• 1980: Group A – Nigeria 3, Tanzania 1

Tunisia v Uganda

• 1962: Third place – Tunisia 3, Uganda 0

• 1978: Group B – Tunisia 3, Uganda 1

Nigeria v Tunisia

• 1978: Third place – Nigeria 2, Tunisia 0

• 2000: Group D – Nigeria 4, Tunisia 2

• 2004: Semi-final – Nigeria 1, Tunisia 1 (Tunisia won 5-3 on penalties)

• 2006: Quarter-final – Nigeria 1, Tunisia 1 (Nigeria won 6-5 on penalties)

• 2019: Third place – Nigeria 1, Tunisia 0

• 2022: Last 16 – Tunisia 1, Nigeria 0

Uganda v Nigeria

• 1978: Semi-final – Uganda 2, Nigeria 1

First meetings:

Uganda v Tanzania, Tanzania v Tunisia