Three-time African champions Nigeria and seven-time title holders Egypt will clash in a high-profile international friendly at the Cairo Stadium on Tuesday evening, as both teams fine-tune preparations for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals set to kick off in Morocco on Sunday.
The encounter provides an opportunity for both coaches to assess new faces alongside established stars. Super Eagles head coach Eric Sékou Chelle may hand opportunities to debutants and fringe players such as goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defender Ryan Alebiosu, midfielders Usman Muhammed, Tochukwu Nnadi and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, as well as forwards Paul Onuachu and Salim Fago Lawal.
Egypt’s team is led by former AFCON-winning striker Hossam Hassan, who famously scored seven goals to help the Pharaohs lift the 1998 title in Burkina Faso. The Egyptian coach is expected to build his team around Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who is still chasing his first AFCON crown, alongside Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy, defenders Mohamed Hany and Yasser Ibrahim, midfielders Emam Ashour and Mahmoud Trezeguet, as well as CAF Champions League winners Mohamed Hamdy and Mostafa Fathi. Also in the squad are Ibrahim Adel and Mostafa Mohamed of FC Nantes.
For Nigeria, Chelle is likely to rely on a core group including goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Zaidu Sanusi, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Alex Iwobi, and attacking stars Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
The match will kick off at 8:00 pm Egypt time (7:00 pm Nigeria time). As of Monday afternoon, 17 of the 28 players invited to Nigeria’s final squad had arrived in Cairo, with others expected ahead of the team’s evening training session.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to depart Cairo on Thursday for Fés, Morocco, aboard a chartered flight.
Nigeria will begin its quest for a fourth AFCON title—following victories in 1980, 1994 and 2013—under the campaign theme “Naija 4 The Win.” Their Group C campaign opens on Tuesday, December 23, against Tanzania, before clashes with Tunisia on December 27 and Uganda on December 30. All group matches will be played at the Complexe Sportif de Fés.
Egypt, the only nation to win AFCON three times consecutively (2006–2010), will compete in Group B against South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe, with all their matches slated for the Stade d’Agadir in Agadir.
