New worry for Eric Chelle as Nigeria face DR Congo or Mauritania in U23 AFCON qualifiers

Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles will face either DR Congo or Mauritania in the second round of the 2027 U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Soccernet.ng reports.

The draw was held in Cairo on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Nigeria were one of 14 teams given a first-round bye, but their route to the tournament now includes a difficult two-legged tie against the winner of the Mauritania-DR Congo contest.

The U23 AFCON will be played in Egypt and will also decide Africa’s qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Seven teams will qualify for the tournament alongside hosts Egypt. A total of 42 countries are involved in the qualifying race.

Nigeria: A difficult start for Chelle

Nigeria will not play in the first round, which is scheduled to feature 14 two-legged ties.

Mauritania and DR Congo must first meet home and away before Nigeria enter the competition. The winner will then face the Olympic Eagles in the second round between November 9 and November 17, 2026.

That creates an early selection problem for Eric Chelle. The former Mali coach has been given responsibility for Nigeria’s U23 team while also working with the senior Super Eagles. He must now build a squad that can deal with a demanding African qualifier and a short preparation period.

Nigeria’s second-round tie will be played over two legs. The winner will advance to the final round, where seven teams will fight for the available U23 AFCON places.

A meeting with DR Congo could bring a more physical test, while Mauritania would offer a different challenge. Either opponent would arrive with two competitive matches already played before facing Nigeria.

That could give Nigeria less room for mistakes. The Olympic Eagles have also had little margin for error in recent…