After their semi-final defeat to hosts Morocco, the Super Eagles will shift focus to the third-place playoff, where they face Egypt’s Pharaohs in the battle for the bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday. The encounter will take place at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca.
Nigeria and Egypt, two of Africa’s most successful football nations with a combined 10 AFCON titles, arrived in Morocco last year aiming to add another trophy to their collections. Those ambitions were halted in the semi-finals, as Egypt lost to Senegal’s Lions of Teranga in Tangier, while Nigeria were eliminated by Morocco on penalties in Rabat.
For global stars Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen, who are both yet to win an AFCON title, the match presents an opportunity to end the tournament on a positive note with a consolation prize.
Unbeaten in open play and having scored 14 goals in six matches, the Super Eagles will feel hard done by not reaching the final. Backed by messages of support from fans, the team held a training session upon arriving in Casablanca on Thursday evening and will have their official workout at the Raja Oasis training ground on Friday.
Historically, both teams dominate the AFCON bronze medal chart, with Nigeria claiming eight third-place finishes and Egypt six. Victory for the Super Eagles would widen that advantage, while a win for the Pharaohs would close the gap.