Nigeria-Tanzania : Pedigree Versus Promise

Nigeria and Tanzania clash today, December 23, 2025, at Fes Stadium in their first Group C match at the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations. Kick-off is set for 6:30 p.m. Cameroon time (18:30 local time), pitting the three-time champions against brave “underdogs” in a battle of pedigree versus promise.
This marks only the second AFCON finals meeting between the Super Eagles and Taifa Stars; 45 years after their debut encounter. At the 1980 finals in Lagos, host Nigeria kicked off their campaign with a commanding 3-1 victory over Tanzania on March 8, en route to lifting their first continental crown. That triumph set the tone for Nigeria's golden era, and they are eager to channel similar dominance today even though they recently missed to clinch a ticket for the 2026 World Cup. Across all competitions, Nigeria and Tanzania have met seven times, with Nigeria unbeaten: four wins and three draws. Nigeria enters as favourites, coming as runners-up from AFCON 2023, boasting a glittering record; champions in 1980, 1994, and 2013, plus runner-up finishes in 1984, 1988, 1990, 2000, and 2023. Tanzania, by contrast, makes just their fourth AFCON appearances (after 1980, 2019, and 2023), where they have neve...