Nigeria vs Egypt preview: Super Eagles and Pharaohs battle for bronze

After both Nigeria and Egypt fell short in their semifinal clashes at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the two West African football powerhouses now face off in the third-place playoff in what promises to be an intriguing encounter.

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The match is scheduled for Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT) at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, with both teams eager to secure a bronze medal and a finish on a high note in Morocco.

Recent Form and Road to Bronze Clash
Nigeria exited the tournament in dramatic fashion after a 0–0 draw with hosts Morocco in the semifinals, ultimately losing 4–2 on penalties. The Super Eagles’ performance in Morocco showcased defensive resilience but highlighted occasional attacking struggles, as Nigeria managed just one shot on target.

Prior to that, Nigeria emerged as one of the most potent scoring sides in the competition, finishing with 14 goals, their highest tally in any AFCON edition.Egypt’s campaign ended in a narrow 1–0 semifinal defeat to Senegal, with Sadio Mané’s strike proving decisive.
Despite the loss, coach Hossam Hassan expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance, noting that AFCON 2025 provided valuable preparation ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, especially given the diverse tactical challenges Egypt faced.

Head-to-Head and Tournament History
The two sides share a long rivalry in African football. Nigeria and Egypt have met 20 times in AFCON history, with Nigeria holding a slight edge: 8 wins to Egypt’s 6, and 6 draws. In this year’s edition, their most recent friendly clash in December 2025 saw Egypt secure a 2–1 victory, ending a nine-year winless run against the Super Eagles and offering a psychological boost ahead of this playoff.

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Tactical Outlook and Key Battles
Looking at Nigeria, the focus will be on balancing solid defensive organisation with creativity going forward. The Super Eagles have shown tactical discipline in Morocco, conceding fewer goals as the tournament progressed and enjoying spells of attacking fluidity earlier in the competition. Players such as Ademola Lookman have been instrumental, offering incisive runs and goal threats that can unsettle the Egyptian defence.

Egypt, led by captain Mohamed Salah, boast a blend of experience and tactical acumen. Salah, who has been one of Egypt’s standout performers, provides not only goal threat but leadership qualities that could be decisive in a tight playoff. However, Egypt’s struggle for clean sheets in knockout matches and their relatively lower defensive stability compared to Nigeria could be a concern.

Predicted Nigeria XI: Nwabali; Osayi-Samuel, Ajayi, Awaziem, Onyemaechi; Ndidi, Onyeka, Iwobi; Lookman, Adams, Simon
Predicted Egypt XI:  El Shenawy; Hany, Ibrahim, Rabia, Fatouh; Attia, Ashour, Fathy; Marmoush; Trezeguet, Mohamed

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For Nigeria, a victory would extend their dominance in AFCON bronze medal matches. Egypt, on the other hand, will look to build momentum after a hard-fought semifinal, aiming to add to their AFCON podium history and cap off their Morocco campaign with pride.

Saturday’s clash promises a competitive and compelling finish to the Africa Cup of Nations.