Olympic Eagles get U-23 AFCON qualifiers foes

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Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles will face either Mauritania or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the second round of the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after receiving a bye into the stage, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

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The draw was held in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, with Nigeria among 14 nations given a bye into the second round based on their performances in the last three editions of the competition.

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Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo will meet in the first round, with the winner advancing to face Nigeria.

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The first-round ties are scheduled for September 28 and October 6, while Nigeria’s second-round fixtures will be played on November 9 and 17, with the Olympic Eagles playing the first leg away from home.

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If Nigeria progress, they will face the winner of the tie involving Burkina Faso and either Sierra Leone or Zambia in the third and final round, scheduled for March 22-30, 2027.

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Seven teams will qualify for the finals alongside hosts Egypt, with the eight-team tournament also serving as Africa’s qualifying competition for the men’s football event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

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Nigeria missed out on the Paris 2024 Olympics after losing to Guinea in the final qualifying tournament and will be seeking a return to the continental competition.

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Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will also oversee the Olympic Eagles during the qualifying campaign as part of his expanded responsibilities with Nigeria’s national teams.

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