Ex-Flying Eagles coach reveals what Super Eagles must do to reach AFCON 2027

Former Nigeria U-17 and U-20 head coach John Obuh has shared his thoughts on the Super Eagles’ chances of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 2027 AFCON will take place in the summer of 2027 and will be the first edition to be hosted by three countries, with Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania set to jointly host the competition.

Nigeria were drawn in Group L of the qualifying campaign in the draw held on Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt and will face Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-host Tanzania.

While two countries are expected to qualify from most group, the presence of the Taifa Stars means only one country can qualify from the remaining three in the Super Eagles’ path, leaving very little margin for error.

John Obuh: What Nigeria must do to qualify for AFCON 2027

Nigeria have endured some disappointments in recent years, failing to qualify for back-to-back FIFA World Cup tournaments, including the upcoming 2026 edition in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, after they were beaten by DR Congo in the CAF playoff final in November.

However, the Super Eagles have consistently qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the last four editions. The last time Nigeria missed the AFCON tournaments was in 2017, while their last triumph came at the 2013 edition in South Africa.

The West African giants have finished second and third respectively in the last two editions and impressed at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, going unbeaten in normal time before losing on penalties to the hosts in the semifinal.

Speaking in an interview, John Obuh, who led Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to a silver medal at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, believes that the Super Eagles must approach every match with caution and seriousness to ensure qualification.

The former Flying Eagles coach also praised the team’s performance at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco but warned against complacency and underestimating any of their group opponents.

“I will start from their last competition, which was the Nations Cup. We did very well. They brought back hope to us with the way they played, even though we lost out. It was a very good campaign, a very good performance, and there were a lot of positive discoveries”, Obuh said, via Footy-Africa.

“Taking that into this current campaign, I want to believe that as long as they do not underrate those countries—because Madagascar and the rest are no longer small football nations—they will succeed.

“Every country has experienced some level of development as far as football is concerned. Therefore, any country we play, we must face them as if we are playing Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Ghana, or South Africa.”

What the NFF must do

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has faced criticism over recent Super Eagles disappointments, including the failure to qualify for the last two editions of the World Cup.

However, Obuh believes the federation have a very important role to play in ensuring the team does not struggle during its qualification campaign through poor planning or selection.

“Although I have not seen the list of invited players, I know the NFF recognises the importance of this qualifier, and I am sure they will not joke with it.”

Super Eagles selection should be on merit 

The Super Eagles are in a period of transition, with many young players expected to be handed opportunities to impress by head coach Eric Chelle.

John Obuh believes this current squad have the potential to help Nigeria end its long wait for another AFCON title, but any other addition must be based on merit and their performance for their club side.

“I wouldn’t think that their age means they are going to retire at a specific time. There are many of their colleagues playing beyond that age, even in European countries, who are still part of their respective World Cup squads. The most important thing right now is for them to first focus on securing qualification. Let them concentrate on qualifying us before we start talking about representation at the next World Cup”, the ex-Golden Eaglets coach added.

“It is not going to be about my wish; it is about their performance, so my wish will make no difference. It is their performance that will keep them in the team. With the way they are progressing, they are the ones we look forward to seeing replace the older players.

“My wish is for all of them to be part of it because they are young enough to serve us for a longer time. However, they have to perform very well to keep their places, because we need replacements as quickly as possible”, Obuh concluded.

Nigeria will begin their qualification in September, with the campaign set to run until March 2027, a few months before the tournament. Before then, the Super Eagles will take part in the Unity Cup later this month and also face Poland and Portugal in international friendlies next month.