Nigeria's U-23 Eagles will face either Mauritania or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the second round of the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifiers, following Tuesday's draw held in Cairo, Egypt.

The young Eagles are among 14 sides granted byes directly into the second round, a privilege earned through their performances across the last three editions of the competition.

Nigeria's path to the 2027 finals

Should Nigeria advance past the second round, they will then meet the winner of the Burkina Faso versus Sierra Leone/Zambia tie for a coveted place at the U-23 AFCON finals.

The qualifying campaign kicks off in September, with all first-round fixtures played over two legs. The opening legs are set for Monday, 28 September, and the return legs follow on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.

Nigeria enter at the second-round stage, with their first-leg matches scheduled for Monday, 9 November and the return fixtures on Tuesday, 17 November 2026. Winners of these ties will progress to the third and final qualifying round.

Olympic Games place also at stake

Seven nations will ultimately qualify from the campaign to join hosts Egypt at the eight-team 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations finals. The tournament carries additional weight — it also serves as Africa's qualifying competition for the men's football event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.