Nigeria and Tunisia will renew their famous rivalry on Saturday when both teams meet in a top-of-the-table Group C clash at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The match will be played at the 35,000-capacity Complexe Sportif de Fès, with both sides coming into the game on three points after winning their opening matches.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi, both former international players, will be eager to lead their teams to victory and secure early qualification for the Round of 16.
Nigeria and Tunisia have faced each other 21 times over the last 64 years. Both teams have won six matches each, while nine games ended in draws. Some of those drawn matches were decided on penalties. Nigeria won two of the three penalty shootouts, including a famous 1982 World Cup qualifier and a dramatic AFCON quarter-final in Port Said in 2006.
Tunisia, however, had the upper hand at the 2004 AFCON on home soil, edging Nigeria on penalties to reach the final.
Matches between the two sides have often been intense and controversial. Nigeria walked off the pitch during an AFCON qualifier in Tunis in 1961 after a disputed goal, while Tunisia did the same in a bronze-medal match at the 1978 AFCON in Kumasi after Nigeria scored an equaliser.
When Tunisia beat Nigeria 1-0 at the AFCON in Cameroon in 2022, it was their first competitive win over the Super Eagles since 1985.
Saturday’s match is expected to be another tough and physical contest, with Nigeria aiming to confirm their status as title contenders and Tunisia pushing for a second AFCON crown. The Carthage Eagles will also be looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, for which they have already qualified.
Tunisia coach Trabelsi has several key players at his disposal, including captain Ferjani Sassi, Ali Maâloul, Hannibal Mejbri, Dylan Bronn and Yan Valery. They showed their attacking strength with an impressive win over Uganda in their opening match.
Nigeria, on the other hand, will rely on the attacking trio of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze, while defenders Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi provide stability at the back. Osimhen, who has scored 31 goals in 47 appearances for Nigeria, will be keen to open his account at the tournament.
Midfielder Alex Iwobi is expected to play a key role as he closes in on his 93rd international cap, while captain Wilfred Ndidi will be crucial in breaking up Tunisia’s fast-paced attacks.
With history, pride and early qualification at stake, fans can expect a thrilling encounter in Fès.
