- Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong sent a message to the team after AFCON 2027 qualifier draw
- Troost-Ekong was part of the legends that drew the balls for the group stage at the event held in Cairo, Egypt
- The Super Eagles were drawn in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-host Tanzania
Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong sent a message to the team after the draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations was concluded.
Troost-Ekong was part of the African football legends who conducted the group stage draw in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
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Ekong drew the balls for pot 1, picking the ball for Nigeria last. As noted by NFF, Nigeria is in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-host Tanzania.
The Super Eagles have prior knowledge of all three teams, having faced them all at least four times, with superior records, and having the upper hand in head-to-head.
The matches will take place during the FIFA international windows of September-October, November 2026, and March 2027, and the top two teams will qualify for the tournament in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Troost-Ekong sends message to Super Eagles
Former captain Ekong sent a message to the Nigerian national team after the draw, claiming it is a tough draw, but he trusts them to get by it.
“It is not an easy group, but I trust them to get over the line,” Ekong told CAF Online.
The captain, who featured at three AFCON tournaments and participated in four qualifying series, admitted that home form is crucial to securing qualification, but hacking away matches is equally important.
“Playing away from home is always difficult because you encounter different pitches, environments and conditions throughout the qualifiers,” he added.
“Winning away from home is very important if you want to enhance your qualification chances, but consistency throughout the campaign is equally crucial.
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“Teams that find ways to win away from home will give themselves a great chance. There are some very tough groups, but there is also a lot of excitement around these qualifiers. I can’t wait for the games and the tournament itself.”
Full AFCON 2027Q groups
A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger Republic, Lesotho
B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
C: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia,
D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
F: Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Mauritania, Central African Republic
G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo
H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau
Ekong reacts to CAF’s decision
Legit.ng previously reported that Troost-Ekong reacted to CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of the AFCON 2025 title after Morocco’s appeal.
The former Nigerian captain questioned the officiating at AFCON 2025 compared to the 2023 edition and added that the decision set African football back.
Source: Legit.ng