By Kunle Solaja

The Super Eagles’ camp in Cairo, Egypt, is set to swell to 23 players later tonight as preparations intensify for Tuesday’s international friendly against the host nation.

Zaidu Sanusi arrived in camp on Monday morning, while 12 additional players are expected to join the squad later in the evening, significantly boosting the team’s numbers ahead of the high-profile encounter.

According to information from the camp, the Super Eagles will hold their first training session at 8:00 pm inside the main bowl of the Cairo International Stadium, the venue for Tuesday’s friendly.

The match brings together two of Africa’s most decorated football nations and record-holders at the Africa Cup of Nations. Egypt, the continent’s most successful team, have won the AFCON title seven times and will be aiming to extend that record with an unprecedented eighth crown.

Nigeria, on the other hand, boast an impressive history of consistency at the tournament. No team has finished third more often than the Super Eagles, who have claimed bronze medals on seven occasions. They have also been runners-up five times and crowned African champions three times, accounting for 15 podium finishes and 10 appearances in AFCON finals.

Tuesday’s friendly is expected to offer both teams an opportunity to fine-tune their preparations, test squad depth and assess tactical options ahead of the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

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By Kunle Solaja.

Morocco has once again underlined its growing status as Africa’s premier host of major football tournaments by introducing a landmark innovation for the Africa Cup of Nations, bringing the competition closer than ever to World Cup standards.

For the first time in the 68-year history of the Africa Cup of Nations, all participating teams will be based in exclusive training camps throughout the tournament.

When AFCON kicks off in Morocco on Sunday, each of the 24 qualified nations will operate from a dedicated base camp from start to finish — a concept long associated with FIFA World Cup organisation.

According to the AFCON 2025 Ultimate Guide, every team will enjoy a fully integrated base camp made up of a five-star hotel and a modern training centre reserved exclusively for its use.

In total, 24 such base camps have been designated across the Kingdom, marking an unprecedented structural leap for African football’s flagship competition.

“This arrangement ensures that each national team stays in its own exclusive base camp throughout the tournament,” the guide states, highlighting Morocco’s meticulous attention to detail and commitment to excellence.

The Nigeria Super Eagles will be based at Sahrai Hotel in Fez, a city noted as Morocco’s historic cultural capital. Their main rival in Group C, Tunisia, like several others, will be based in the capital city, Rabat, with The View hotel serving as its official team residence.

Scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, AFCON Morocco 2025 represents a major turning point in the organisation of the tournament.

 The introduction of base camps is designed to provide optimal preparation conditions, enhance sporting fairness and significantly improve logistical efficiency.

From a performance standpoint, the innovation is expected to have a direct impact. With access to high-quality training facilities and stable accommodation throughout the competition, teams can focus on recovery, tactical preparation, team bonding and mental well-being.

The reduction in constant travel — a long-standing challenge at previous AFCON editions — is also expected to limit fatigue and improve match quality.

Logistically, the base camp system allows for smoother coordination with local authorities, better security planning and more efficient management of team movements.

CAF officials say the camps were selected using strict criteria, including infrastructure quality, accessibility, security and proximity to match venues, ensuring international best practices are met.

Beyond football, the initiative reflects Morocco’s broader ambition to make AFCON 2025 a benchmark tournament.

Massive investments in stadiums, training centres, hotels and transport infrastructure form part of a wider strategy of sustainable development and regional enhancement, leaving a lasting legacy well beyond the final whistle.

By adopting organisational models inspired by the world’s biggest sporting events, Morocco — in partnership with CAF — is helping to modernise African football and elevate the global profile of the Africa Cup of Nations.

As the countdown to kick-off continues, the establishment of 24 World Cup–style base camps stands as a powerful symbol of a better-organised, fairer and more professional AFCON. In every sense, Morocco has raised the bar — and AFCON 2025 promises to be a defining chapter in the tournament’s history.

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has unveiled the NAIJA 4 THE WIN campaign as the Super Eagles return to African soil for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, signalling a renewed determination to reclaim the continent’s most coveted football prize.

Three-time African champions, Nigeria, head into the tournament with a proud history and a clear sense of purpose.

Their runner-up finish at the 2023 AFCON in Abidjan, while widely applauded, has been framed by the federation as unfinished business and a driving force behind the current campaign.

Led by Head Coach Eric Sékou Chelle and backed by the full support of the National Sports Commission and the NFF, the Super Eagles are building towards the tournament on a foundation of discipline, experience, emerging talent and collective ambition.

The target, according to the federation, is unequivocal: to surpass the last outing and return the Africa Cup of Nations trophy to Nigeria.

The NAIJA 4 THE WIN initiative is designed as a rallying call to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, reinforcing belief in the team’s ability to once again scale the heights of African football.

 The campaign draws inspiration from Nigeria’s previous AFCON triumphs in 1980, 1994 and 2013, each etched into the nation’s sporting memory, with Morocco 2025 seen as the next opportunity to write a fresh chapter.

The NFF has called on fans to throw their weight behind the team throughout the tournament, whether from living rooms and viewing centres across the country or from the stands in Morocco.

The federation stressed that the passion, encouragement and visible presence of Nigerian supporters remain a vital ingredient for success.

As preparations intensify, the message from the NFF is clear: the journey has begun with purpose, the mission is well defined, and the Super Eagles are ready to rise again.

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