Goalkeepers Francis Uzoho and Stanley Nwabali were the first batch of players to arrive at the Super Eagles’ camp for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Uzoho, a returnee to the Nigerian team after months of absence, was the first to touch down at the Super Eagles’ camp in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday morning.
The Omonia of Cyprus man, who was a surprise inclusion in the 28-man roster for the continental showpiece, joins Nwabali as the team’s camp opened on Sunday.
A video on the Super Eagles’ official X handle showed Chippa United’s Nwabali alighting from a bus and checking into Nigeria’s hotel.
Already, the backroom staff and the coaching crew are in the team’s camp.
Nigeria’s goalkeeper #23 Stanley Nwabali gestures during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 semi-final football match between Nigeria and South Africa at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP)
With Nwabali still recovering from injuries, Uzoho will fancy his chances of usurping the Chippa United goalkeeper as Nigeria’s first choice.
Amas Obasogie of Singida Blackstars in Tanzania completes the trio of Nigerian goalkeepers for the competition.
More players are expected to arrive at Nigeria’s camp in the coming days after this weekend’s actions, especially in Europe.
The Super Eagles will take on Egypt in a practice match on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at the Cairo Stadium.
After the match, the Coach Eric Chelle-tutored side will fly to Fes in Morocco, their base for the group stage of the tournament.
Nigeria are in Group C alongside Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda. They begin their campaign in the competition against the Taifa Stars on December, 23.
After that, the team will take on Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles on the 27th before battling the Cranes of Uganda three days later.
The 2025 AFCON comes with added pressure for the Super Eagles following their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, the second time in a row Nigeria will be missing out on the competition.
Coach Emerse Fae has defended several contentious squad decisions as Ivory Coast attempt to become the first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) holders to defend the title since Egypt did so 15 years ago.
Since Egypt defeated Ghana in the 2010 final, there have been eight AFCON tournaments that produced seven different winning nations.
The exception was Ivory Coast, who conquered Africa in 2015 after a penalty shootout with Ghana and triumphed again last year, coming from behind at home to edge Nigeria.
The Elephants, whose first of three AFCON titles came in 1992, begin their defence against Mozambique on December 24 in Group F, then face five-time champions Cameroon and Gabon.
All six mini-league winners and runners-up automatically advance to the round of 16 in Morocco. They will be joined by the best four third-placed teams.
It is difficult to imagine the Ivorians not progressing to the knockout stage, and Fae is upbeat while answering critics of several selections.
The exclusions of Villarreal forward Nicolas Pepe and Sunderland winger Simon Adingra were at the forefront of media criticism.
“If we were to consider only the sporting aspect, he (Pepe) would be with us,” said Fae, a 41-year-old former Ivory Coast midfielder.
“To make a list you have to take into account many factors, both on and off the field. All these factors have led to Nico not being on the list.”
Fae did not reveal what factors led to former Arsenal striker Pepe being omitted despite good form in La Liga, where he won a player of the month award this season.
Turning to Adingra, Fae said: “Simon is struggling to earn a starting spot at Sunderland. We had to do without his qualities when making our selection.”
Former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has been recalled after a three-year absence having impressed for Major League Soccer outfit Charlotte.
National hero
“His ability to beat defenders and his current form worked in his favour,” said Fae of an attacker who has scored 10 goals this season and created six more.
“Ivory Coast can benefit from his experience and capability to create scoring opportunities for teammates.”
Fae became a national hero after Ivory Coast recovered from a woeful 2024 group campaign to beat Senegal, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria to lift the most prized African trophy.
He began the tournament assisting Jean-Louis Gasset, then took charge when the French coach was fired after first round losses to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
They scraped into the knockout phase as the lowest of four third-placed teams and became the first nation to lose twice and still become AFCON champions.
Despite upheavals, Cameroon are likely to pose the greatest threat to Ivory Coast in Group F as Gabon have a suspect defence and Mozambique have never won an AFCON match in 15 attempts.
Recently re-elected Cameroon national football federation president and former star Samuel Eto’o fired Belgian coach Marc Brys after his team last month failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The pair had been at loggerheads since the government appointed Brys — a decision usually taken by football officials.
David Pagou, who has coached local clubs, took over, and his squad announcement contained several shocks with Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who is currently on loan at Trabzonspor, and veteran forward Vincent Aboubakar axed.
“We wanted to do things differently. They are good players, but we set our sights on others to create a different mindset,” said Pagou.
Star Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang calls the section the “group of death. If you survive, it means you are capable of winning the AFCON.”
If 42-year-old Mozambique midfielder Elias ‘Domingues’ Pelembe plays, he will become the second oldest footballer to compete at an AFCON after Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.
El Hadary was 44 when he played in the 2017 final won by Cameroon.
Cole Palmer returned with a much-needed goal as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday to end a run of four games without a win in all competitions.
Victory at Stamford Bridge lifted Chelsea back into the top four.
Injury-plagued attacking midfielder Cole missed Chelsea’s loss away to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday as part of his recovery from a two-month spell on the sidelines.
Palmer was initially troubled by a groin problem and then fractured his toe after stubbing it on a door at home.
The 23-year-old made his first start for the Blues since September in last weekend’s goalless draw at Bournemouth.
The England international broke the deadlock against Everton in the 21st minute at Stamford Bridge.
READ ALSO: Champions League: De Ketelaere Inspires Atalanta Fightback To Beat Chelsea
Malo Gusto played in Palmer with a fine pass, and he beat fellow England international Jordan Pickford at the goalkeeper’s near post.
Everton dominated possession, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez saving well from Jack Grealish.
All of Everton’s pressure failed to yield an equaliser, and Chelsea, against the run of play, doubled their lead in first-half stoppage-time when a counter-attack ended with Gusto turning in a cut-back from Pedro Neto.
Everton had a chance to make it 2-1 when Carlos Alcaraz curled in a cross to the back post, only for the unmarked Grealish to divert the ball well wide.
Chelsea almost added a third when Reece James’s quick free-kick was only just tipped over the bar by Pickford.
The highlight of Group D at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco promises to be the showdown between two former champions, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They met just two months ago in a World Cup qualifier, with the Senegalese coming from two goals behind to snatch a 3-2 victory through a Pape Matar Sarr goal.
Victory led to Senegal qualifying for a third straight World Cup, while DR Congo will face Jamaica or New Caledonia in March with a ticket to the global showcase on the line.
READ ALSO: Algeria Include Son Of Zinedine Zidane In AFCON Squad
While DR Congo hope to atone for the Kinshasa loss, the stage is set for a cameo to relish on December 27 in Tangier between Senegal striker Sadio Mane and DR Congo centre-back Chancel Mbemba.
Mane may be less in the media limelight since leaving Liverpool and Bayern Munich for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr two years ago.
But last month in Turkey he issued a reminder that his predatory instincts remain, scoring a hat-trick as Senegal crushed Kenya 8-0 in a warm-up for the AFCON.
Mane has already scaled the African football summit, converting the decisive penalty to give the Teranga Lions a shootout victory over Egypt in the 2022 final in Yaounde.
Three years earlier, Mane featured in another AFCON final. However, he had to settle for a silver medal as an early goal from Algeria proved the only one of the title decider in Cairo.
Senegal disappointed at the most recent AFCON, early last year in the Ivory Coast. After winning all three group matches, they lost on penalties to the host nation in a last-16 clash.
Long-serving coach Aliou Cisse did not have his contract renewed and another former national team star, Pape Thiaw, has proved a successful replacement.
– Crucial contributions –
A friendly loss to record five-time World Cup champions Brazil last month was his first setback after 10 victories and two draws. Trouncing Kenya three days later upped the win count.
Mbemba recently celebrated representing his country 100 times with two crucial contributions as DR Congo seek a return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974.
In African play-offs among the best four group runners-up, Mbemba snatched the late goal that sank Cameroon 1-0 in a semi-final in Morocco.
When the final against Nigeria finished 1-1 after extra time in Rabat, a shootout ensued and the penalty that separated the teams was calmly converted by Mbemba.
The professional career of the 31-year-old began in Belgium with Anderlecht. He then had spells with Newcastle United, Porto and Marseille before joining Lille.
While 33-year-old Mane hopes to add to his 51 goals for Senegal, Mbemba will be determined to shackle the two-time African player of the year.
Much of the credit for the resurgence of DR Congo goes to French coach Sebastien Desabre, a 49-year-old whose first African assignment was with Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas.
He then coached clubs in Cameroon, Tunisia, Angola, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt, and spent two years in charge of Uganda, taking them to an AFCON for the first time in 41 years.
“Our first objective is to get out of Group D. Benin, Botswana and Senegal are strong teams. It will not be easy,” Desabre told the Congolese media.
“Qualifying for the World Cup intercontinental play-offs by eliminating Cameroon and Nigeria proved we are progressing.
“I predict a bright future for the Leopards, provided we continue learning. Eliminating Nigeria was fantastic, but that result is history now.”
Benin have shown consistent improvement under German Gernot Rohr, who previously coached Gabon, Niger and Nigeria at AFCONs. They will be captained by veteran striker Steve Mounie.
Nigerian sports fans experienced a year of sharp contrasts in 2025. There were sweet victories, and several bitter losses overshadowed the moments of triumph, making it a bittersweet year for the sports industry.
The women’s national team, the Super Falcons, arguably gave Nigerian sports fans the greatest joy in 2025, winning a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco. Just as Nigerians were relishing the Super Falcons’ historic feat, the women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, had an astonishing run at the Women’s AfroBasket 2025, winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive title in the Ivory Coast and seventh in total.
But if Nigerian sports fans had thought it was going to be an all-blissful year, they were mistaken. They were hit by the heavy blow of missing out on the biggest sporting event in the world — the FIFA World Cup — for the second consecutive time, having also missed out in 2022.
READ ALSO: Super Falcons Make Phenomenal Comeback Against Morocco To Lift 10th WAFCON Title
What followed were the failures of the national male and female football U-20 and U-17 teams in the competitions they participated in, as well as the failure of the men’s senior basketball team in the AfroBasket 2025, and the poor performance of Nigerian athletes at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Let’s dive in and look at the 2025 sports moments that shook the country, captivated the world, and guaranteed their place in the history books.
1. Fantastic Falcons
Nigeria’s players celebrate with the trophy on the podium after winning the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final football match against Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on July 26, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
The Super Falcons went to Morocco with one thing in mind: Mission X, a campaign to win Nigeria’s 10th WAFCON title. It was a mission accomplished in grand style, bringing joy to millions of Nigerian sports fans.
Nigeria kick-started their campaign by defeating Tunisia 3–0 in a Group B encounter, courtesy of goals from Asisat Oshoala, Rinsola Babajide, and Chinwendu Ihezuo.
After that emphatic win over the Carthage Eagles, the Falcons faced Botswana, needing three points to reach the knockout stage.
An 89th-minute close-range strike from Ihezuo broke the Southern Africans and earned victory for Nigeria. Algeria put up a defensive masterclass to hold the Nigerians to a scoreless draw at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Nigeria dispatched Zambia 5–0 in the quarter-final and edged South Africa’s Banyana Banyana 2–1 in the semi-final to set up a mouth-watering final with host Morocco.
After going behind 2–0 in the first half, the Falcons turned things around in the second half with goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini. The win made it a perfect 10-in-10 in finals for Nigeria, reinforcing their stranglehold on women’s football across the continent.
2. Historic D’Tigress
D’Tigress celebrate victory over Mali. X/MakingOfChamp
The D’Tigress seemed inspired by the historic feat of the Super Falcons and went ahead to make their own history, making Nigerians even happier.
The D’Tigress started their campaign with a commanding 92–45 victory over Rwanda, followed by a 60–55 win against Mozambique. Nigeria then dispatched Cameroon 83–47 in a dominant quarter-final performance.
The D’Tigress fought hard to beat Senegal 75–68 to earn a final berth against Mali. Nigeria edged out Mali 78–64 in a tense showdown, displaying resilience and composure to claim their seventh AfroBasket title.
3. Super Eagles’ World Cup Disaster
The most heartbreaking event in Nigerian sports in 2025 was the disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign by the Super Eagles, which ended in a 2–1 play-off defeat to DR Congo in November.
Nigeria had lost the sole automatic ticket in Group C to South Africa but managed to reach the African play-off after beating Benin 4–0 in the final group game in Uyo.
The Super Eagles beat Gabon 4–1 in the semi-final of the play-off to book a spot in the final against DR Congo. The game ended 1–1 after normal and extra time, but during penalties, the Leopards of DR Congo overpowered the Super Eagles 4–3 to claim Africa’s sole ticket to the intercontinental play-offs billed for March next year.
4. D’Tigers AfroBasket Fail
D’Tigers won their first title in 2015. Photo: X@NigeriaBasket
Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, only managed to secure fifth place at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket, held in Angola from August 12 to 24.
They exited the competition in the quarter-finals following a 91–75 defeat to Senegal, who later claimed the bronze medal. Host nation Angola emerged champions after a commanding 70–43 victory over Mali in the final, securing their 12th AfroBasket crown.
5. Flying Eagles World Cup Fiasco
The Flying Eagles. Photo: X@AdemolaVictorTv
Six-time champions Argentina ended Nigeria’s campaign at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, posting a 4–0 win in the Round of 16. The loss brought an end to Nigeria’s tournament run, eliminating the two-time silver medallists.
6. Tokyo 2025 Poor Outing
Tobi Amusan at the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston. X/@AthleticsAfrica
Nigeria had a poor showing at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships, securing only one silver and one bronze medal. Tobi Amusan won Nigeria’s only silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles with a strong time of 12.29 seconds, while Ezekiel Nathaniel earned bronze in the men’s 400m hurdles, setting a new Nigerian record of 47.11 seconds.
Although Kanyisola Ajayi fell short of winning a medal, he became the first Nigerian man in years to reach the 100m final, clocking 9.93 seconds. Nigeria finished 27th on the medal table with two medals.
While not particularly impressive, it was an improvement from the previous World Championships, where Nigeria had won no medals.
7. Flamingos Crash Out Of World Cup
The Flamingos crash out of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. X/@1topham
The Nigerian U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, failed once again in their quest to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. They reached the Round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams, but Italy scored early to take a 1–0 first-half lead and added three second-half goals, aided by goalkeeping errors, resulting in a 4–0 defeat and elimination.
Goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of France football icon Zinedine Zidane, was named on Saturday in the Algeria squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21 in Morocco.
The 27-year-old plays for Spanish second-tier club Granada and represented France at the youth level before switching his international allegiance to Algeria.
He debuted for Algeria in a World Cup qualifier against Uganda two months ago and is one of three goalkeepers chosen. The others are Oussama Benbot from USM Alger and Anthony Mandrea of Caen.
Speaking after his debut, Zidane said: “It is an honour for me, and I will give 100% to make the Algerian people proud.”
“I’m sure the players will arrive highly motivated and ready to play in this AFCON,” said Algeria coach and former Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic after announcing the squad.
“The main objective is to get past the first round… with the ambition to go as far as possible in the tournament.”
Algeria start their Group E campaign against Sudan on December 24, then face Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea.
Group winners and runners-up automatically qualify for the round of 16. The best four of the six third-placed nations also advance to the knockout stage.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw selected six Premier League players in his squad for the AFCON, where they face Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin in Group D.
They are defender El Hadji Diouf (West Ham), midfielders Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) and Habib Diarra (Sunderland) and forwards Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) and Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace).
“We are among the favourites, and we accept that. I want a dominant team,” said Thiaw, who was in the Senegal squad that reached the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals.
