Former Super Eagles winger Tijani Babangida says Nigeria must target the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to ease the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles missed out on the mundial after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in last month’s African playoff final.
With Eric Chelle’s team now fully focused on winning a fourth AFCON crown in Morocco, Babangida believes lifting the trophy would help restore confidence among fans.
“After the painful reality of missing the World Cup for the second time in a row, it’s still hard to accept,” Babangida told Tribal Football.
“But the next major target is AFCON. It’s an opportunity to rebuild the image of Nigerian football. For the NFF, the players, and everyone involved, AFCON is what we have now — we must give everything to win it.”
He acknowledged the tournament will be tough, with top African nations who qualified for the World Cup also competing, but said the Super Eagles are capable of going all the way.
“I believe the team can bring the trophy back to Nigeria after more than 12 years. I see Nigeria reaching the final — and anything can happen in a cup final. They were in the last final, where they lost 2-1 to Côte d’Ivoire.”
Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Their opening match is against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars in Fez on Tuesday, December 23.
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