Egypt and Nigeria Prepare for Friendly Match Before AFCON Kickoff. Cairo, Egypt — Egypt’s national football team is gearing up for a friendly match against Nigeria on Tuesday, the final preparation ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which begins on Sunday.
The match, scheduled for 18:00 GMT, will be held in Cairo and serves as a warm-up for both teams before the continental tournament kicks off.
Seven — time AFCON champions Egypt have been training rigorously, according to local reports, in preparation for the tournament.
The team will head to host nation Morocco immediately after the match to prepare for their group stage matches against Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Angola. Egypt’s first match will be against Zimbabwe on December 22.
Nigeria, also preparing for the AFCON, has been fine — tuning their preparations with a training session on Monday.
Coach Eric Chelle is expected to field an experimental line — up due to several notable absentees, including Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen and Paris FC winger Moses Simon, who have yet to join the squad. Nigeria is set to compete in Group C, alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania, with all games scheduled to be played in Fez.
The Africa Cup of Nations begins on December 21 and concludes on January 18, 2026.
The friendly match between Egypt and Nigeria is a crucial opportunity for both teams to assess their readiness for the tournament. With the AFCON just days away, both teams are keen to get a feel for the competition and ensure they are in top form for the group stage.
Further details regarding the match and the AFCON tournament are expected to emerge as the event approaches.
