Nigeria and Tunisia will be aiming to secure qualification to the knockout stage when they meet on Saturday, in their second Group C Africa Cup of Nations fixture at the Complexe Sportif de Fes in Fes, Morocco.
The Super Eagles enter the match following a 2–1 victory over Tanzania, while Tunisia began their campaign with a 3–1 win against Uganda.
Nigeria and Tunisia have met six times previously at the AFCON finals. Nigeria have recorded three wins to Tunisia’s one, with two matches ending level in 2004 and 2006, both decided by penalty shoot-outs, one win apiece.
They first met at the AFCON finals in 1978, contesting the third-place play-off. Nigeria were awarded a 2–0 victory after Tunisia walked off the field with the score at 1–1.
The sides met again in the opening group match of the 2000 AFCON, with Nigeria winning 4–2, although both teams progressed from the group stage. Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi featured for Tunisia in that Group D match in Lagos on 23 January 2000.
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As hosts in 2004, Tunisia met Nigeria in the semi-finals. Jay-Jay Okocha scored for Nigeria before Khaled Badra equalised for Tunisia. The match ended 1–1, with Tunisia winning 5–3 on penalties.
In 2006, the teams met in the quarter-finals. Victor Obinna scored for Nigeria and Karim Haggui equalised for Tunisia in a 1–1 draw, before Nigeria won 6–5 on penalties.
They met in the third-place play-off at the 2019 AFCON, with Nigeria winning 1–0 thanks to an early goal from Odion Ighalo.
Their most recent meeting came at the 2021 AFCON, where Tunisia won a Round of 16 encounter 1–0, with Youssef Msakni scoring the only goal in the 47th minute.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria
Nigeria began its AFCON campaign with a 2–1 win over Tanzania, courtesy of goals from Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman.
Midfielder Alex Iwobi recorded two assists against Tanzania, his first assists at AFCON in his 19th appearance.
Nigeria are unbeaten in their last seven AFCON group matches (W6 D1); their last group-stage defeat was against Madagascar in 2019. They have won their last three AFCON group matches, all by a single-goal margin.
For the Super Eagles, this match is personal. The team will be keen to avenge their painful elimination at the hands of Tunisia in the Round of 16 at AFCON 2021.
The North Africans have often been Nigeria’s bogey team, utilising a disciplined, low-block structure that has historically frustrated Nigeria’s free-flowing attack.
“Tunisia is a good team, I can’t reveal my plans yet”, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle said. “We will keep to our philosophy and we will check if we will need to change something in the line-up.”
The Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, meanwhile, comes into the match with equal confidence. Known for their tactical rigidity and technical midfield play, they will look to exploit the spaces left behind by Nigeria’s marauding full-backs.
Tunisia began with a 3–1 victory over Uganda. Ellyes Skhiri scored Tunisia’s opening goal, which was their 100th at AFCON finals. The win over Uganda ended a four-match winless run at AFCON for Tunisia (D2 L2).
It also ended a four-match winless run in AFCON group-stage matches, their previous win coming against Mauritania in 2021.
“It was important for us to start with a win. Obviously it gives us momentum going into the next games,” midfield talisman Hannibal Mejbri said, echoing the team’s collective confidence.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria face their first true heavyweight test of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations this Saturday when they lock horns with the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.
With both sides securing victories in their opening fixtures, this Group C clash in Fez is widely expected to decide who tops the group and secures a potentially easier route through the knockout stages.
The match starts by 9pm (WAT) at the Complexe Sportif de Fes in Fes, Morocco, on Saturday, December 27th, 2025.
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