Nigeria vs. Tunisia:  Double Eagles battle in Fez for Group C leadership

Nigeria and Tunisia go head-to-head in a high-stakes Group C encounter  tomorrow, December 27^th, at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with both sides eyeing early control of the group. Fresh from opening-day victories, the clash in Fez promises intensity, quality and renewed rivalry as two African heavyweights battle for supremacy writes TUNDE LIADI

One of the headline fixtures of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage takes centre stage tomorrow as continental heavyweights Nigeria and Tunisia lock horns in a crucial Group C encounter at the Complexe Sportif de Fès, Morocco.

With both sides winning their opening matches, the tie could go a long way in determining who finishes top of the group and secures a more favourable route into the knockout phase.

The Super Eagles head into the game on the back of a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Tanzania on December 23, a result that underlined their status as one of the tournament favourites. Goals from Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman sealed the win, and Eric Chelle’s side currently sit second in Group C on goal difference.

Tunisia, meanwhile, occupy top spot after an impressive 3–1 win against Uganda on the same day. The Eagles of Carthage  looked sharp and clinical in attack, extending a run of strong recent results and sending an early message to their group rivals.

Nigeria and Tunisia share a rich Africa Cup of Nations history, having met several times on the continental stage. Overall, the two nations have faced each other 17 times, with Nigeria holding the edge with eight wins, Tunisia claiming five victories, and four matches ending in draws.

At AFCON specifically, their rivalry has produced memorable moments. Nigeria defeated Tunisia at the 2000 AFCON  tournament, while the Super Eagles also edged Tunisia on penalties at the 2006 quarter final tie in Egypt . It was a 1–0 victory in favour of the Super Eagles at the third-place match at AFCON 2019 in Egypt also.

Tunisia’s most recent success came in January 2022, when they stunned Nigeria 1–0 in the Round of 16, a result that remains fresh in the memory and adds extra edge to tomorrow’s clash.

With both teams already on three points, victory would put either side in a commanding position to qualify for the knockout stages as group winners. Nigeria will be keen to avenge their 2022 AFCON exit, while Tunisia aim to maintain momentum and assert their credentials as genuine contenders.

All signs point to a tightly contested, high-quality encounter between two of Africa’s most respected football nations.