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London, December 2, 2025 – As the festive lights of London twinkled against the winter chill, Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi stood before a buzzing crowd at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Diaspora Tour, cradling the gleaming AFCON trophy. The 29-year-old Fulham star, fresh off a season where he notched seven goals and three assists in the Premier League, gazed at the silverware with a mix of reverence and resolve.
"Yes, of course, the last AFCON, we were really close, but the only way we can improve from the last AFCON is to win the next one. We’ve got the players to do so, we believe so, we just have to prove it," Iwobi declared to host AY Suga on the channel's YouTube platform. His words, laced with unshakeable faith, culminated in a viral moment of manifestation: "I’ll like to speak into existence, I want to manifest, so I’d like to say Nigeria will win it."
Iwobi's optimism arrives at a pivotal juncture for Nigeria's national team, the three-time Africa Cup of Nations champions, as they prepare for the 2025 edition hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. This marks the tournament's 35th iteration and its first venture into the Christmas-New Year period, a scheduling shift necessitated by FIFA's expanded Club World Cup in mid-2025.
For the Super Eagles, it's an opportunity to exorcise the ghosts of 2023, when they fell agonizingly short in Côte d'Ivoire. Trailing 1-0 at halftime in the final against the hosts—thanks to William Troost-Ekong's towering header—Ivory Coast mounted a stunning comeback. Franck Kessié levelled in the 62nd minute with a bullet header, and Sébastien Haller, the cancer-surviving striker whose journey from diagnosis to redemption captivated the world, sealed a 2-1 victory nine minutes from time. That defeat denied Nigeria a fourth title, leaving them tied with Côte d'Ivoire on three triumphs but trailing Egypt's record seven.
The scars of Abidjan run deep. Nigeria had navigated a gruelling path, conceding just once before the final while showcasing defensive steel under interim coach José Peseiro. Victor Osimhen, the Napoli talisman and 2023 African Footballer of the Year, toiled relentlessly, but the Elephants' home roar proved insurmountable.
"It was a fairy-tale ending for them, but for us, it's unfinished business," Iwobi reflected during the London event, which drew celebrities like Ghanaian musician Stonebwoy and Nigerian Afrobeats star Odumodublvck, alongside ex-Arsenal midfielder Alex Song. The 91-capped Iwobi, Nigeria's most experienced active player, enters his fourth AFCON—having tasted bronze in 2019 and silver in 2023—knowing the weight of expectation.
"We've got the quality; now it's about execution," he added, echoing sentiments from teammates like Ademola Lookman, the reigning African Footballer of the Year whose Europa League heroics with Atalanta have him primed for stardom.
Under new head coach Eric Chelle, appointed in January 2025 with a mandate to rebuild post-World Cup heartbreak, Nigeria approaches Morocco with renewed vigour. Chelle, the former Mali defender whose tactical acumen shone in stints across Africa, submitted a 55-man provisional squad to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) last month, blending veterans with 10 uncapped prospects. The list, trimmed to 27 per CAF's expanded roster rules, prioritises youth infusion amid whispers of retirement from stalwarts like Troost-Ekong, the 2023 MVP who captained the side through penalty heartbreak against DR Congo in November's World Cup playoff.
"We're building for tomorrow while winning today," Chelle told ESPN, emphasising mental fortitude after Nigeria's 4-3 penalty loss ended their 2026 World Cup dreams.
Key to Chelle's vision is a squad teeming with Premier League and Serie A firepower. Osimhen, the 26-year-old Galatasaray loanee whose aerial dominance and predatory instincts terrorised defences in qualifiers (scoring twice), anchors the attack. Flanking him are Lookman, whose double in the semis and quarters of 2023 lit up Abidjan, and Samuel Chukwueze, the AC Milan winger whose blistering pace could exploit flanks. Midfield maestro Wilfred Ndidi provides the bite, his Leicester City tenacity shielding a backline featuring Fulham's Calvin Bassey—a "fighter who gives 100%" per ex-Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Iwobi, with his vision and set-piece prowess, ties it together, while uncapped gems like Goztepe's Anthony Dennis and Slavia Prague's David Moses add depth.
Nigeria's Group C draw—a "tricky" quartet per CAF—pits them against Tunisia's Carthage Eagles (2004 champions), Uganda's Cranes, and Tanzania's Taifa Stars. The campaign ignites on December 23 at Fez's Complexe Sportif de Fès, where the Super Eagles face Tanzania at noon local time—a winnable opener against a side yet to reach the knockouts. Three days later comes Tunisia on December 27, a rematch of their 2021 Round of 16 clash where the North Africans ousted Nigeria. The group finale against Uganda on December 30 tests resolve, with the top two advancing alongside four best third-placers. Morocco's six host cities—Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, and Fez—promise electric atmospheres, with nine upgraded stadiums showcasing the Atlas Lions' own title quest.
Historically, Nigeria's AFCON ledger is illustrious: triumphs in 1980 (hosting glory over Algeria), 1994 (Rashidi Yekini's heroics in Tunisia), and 2013 (Sunday Mba's final strike against Burkina Faso). They've reached seven finals, runners-up five times, and podiumed 16 occasions—the continent's most. Yet, a 12-year drought gnaws.
"The hunger is real," says Paul Onuachu, the Trabzonspor forward whose qualifier brace signals his breakout potential. Former star Yakubu Aiyegbeni echoes Iwobi: "With Osimhen's aggression and Bassey's solidity, we can go all the way."
Beyond the pitch, AFCON 2025 transcends sport. Morocco's $1 billion infrastructure push—echoing Côte d'Ivoire's 2023 outlay—underscores Africa's rising football economy. For Nigeria, a nation of 220 million where football mends divides, victory would heal World Cup wounds and ignite unity.
As Iwobi "manifests" in London, 2,000 miles away in Abuja, fans chant under green banners. Redemption beckons in Fez. Will the Super Eagles soar?
