Nigeria vs Uganda AFCON 2025 Preview: Super Eagles Eye Perfect Group Stage Record

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage reaches its climax with Nigeria, already assured of top spot in Group C, facing a Uganda side fighting for tournament survival. The Super Eagles have secured their place in the knockout rounds with impressive back-to-back victories, while Uganda must pull off a major upset to have any chance of progressing. Tuesday's encounter at Fez Stadium presents contrasting motivations: Nigeria seeks momentum and a perfect record, while Uganda faces a do-or-die battle for continental pride.

Match Context and Stakes

Nigeria's qualification was sealed with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Tunisia, following an opening 2-1 win against Tanzania. According to Al Jazeera's preview, the three-time champions arrived at AFCON 2025 still processing their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but their performances in Morocco have restored confidence and established them as genuine title contenders. Uganda's path has been more challenging, with a 3-1 defeat to Tunisia followed by a 1-1 draw with Tanzania where Allan Okello missed a crucial stoppage-time penalty.

Group C Standings and Qualification Scenarios

Nigeria leads Group C with six points from two wins, guaranteeing they finish first regardless of Tuesday's result. Even if they lose and Tunisia wins their simultaneous match, Nigeria would still top the group due to the head-to-head tiebreaker from their victory over Tunisia. Uganda sits at the bottom of the group with one point, needing a victory against Nigeria and favorable results elsewhere to have any chance of advancing as one of the best third-place teams. Tunisia (3 points) and Tanzania (1 point) face each other in the group's other final match.

Team News and Expected Lineups

With qualification secured, Nigeria coach Eric Chelle is expected to rotate his squad. Key players including goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defender Semi Ajayi, striker Victor Osimhen, and attacking midfielder Ademola Lookman are all one yellow card away from suspension and likely to be rested. Nigeria's predicted lineup features Francis Uzoho in goal, with changes across the defense and midfield to give squad players valuable tournament experience.

Uganda coach Paul Put faces no such luxury and will field his strongest available side. The Cranes have a fully fit squad and must approach this as a knockout match despite the formidable opposition. Their predicted lineup shows experienced goalkeeper Denis Onyango marshaling the defense, with attacking talents like Allan Okello and Uche Ikpeazu tasked with breaching Nigeria's defense.

Key Players to Watch

For Nigeria, Ademola Lookman has been the tournament's standout attacker with two goals and two assists in their opening matches. According to Opta statistics shared in the Al Jazeera coverage, Lookman has been involved in eight goals across his last nine AFCON appearances (five goals, three assists), more than any other player over the last two tournaments. Even if rested, his impact highlights Nigeria's attacking depth.

Uganda's hopes rest heavily on Allan "Star Boy" Okello, whose late penalty miss against Tanzania proved costly but doesn't diminish his creative importance. Midfielder Denis Omedi and striker Uche Ikpeazu have made impacts off the bench and could earn starting roles in this crucial match.

Historical Context and Form Guide

Despite Nigeria's higher FIFA ranking (47 places above Uganda), historical meetings tell a different story. Uganda has won four of the eight encounters between the nations, with Nigeria winning only twice and two matches ending in draws. Their last AFCON meeting was in June 2007, when Uganda won 2-1 in a group fixture. The most recent encounter was a 2018 friendly that ended goalless.

Nigeria's current form shows two consecutive wins at AFCON following mixed results in other competitions. Uganda's form has been less consistent, with just one win in their last five matches across all competitions. Nigeria's tournament experience is substantial with 20 AFCON appearances, three titles, and five runner-up finishes. Uganda's best result was a runners-up finish in 1978, with seven total tournament appearances.

Conclusion: What to Expect

Tuesday's match presents a fascinating tactical battle between a Nigeria side likely to rotate and experiment, and a Uganda team playing with desperation and nothing to lose. Nigeria will aim to maintain their winning momentum while protecting key players from suspension ahead of the knockout rounds. Uganda must be disciplined defensively while taking any rare opportunities that come their way. The match kicks off at 5pm local time (16:00 GMT) at Fez Stadium, with Nigeria's round of 16 match scheduled for January 5th against a third-placed team from Groups A, B, or F.