Will Nigeria win AFCON 2024? Explaining why Super Eagles have slipped from Africa supremacy
There is no hiding in the Africa Cup of Nations — the CAF's continental championship tournament is one of the world's best competitions at exposing every nation's biggest flaws.
One country which has seen its struggles laid bare in recent years is Nigeria. Once considered one of Africa's pre-eminent powers, Nigeria placed amongst the AFCON top three in 20 of 26 tournaments from 1976 to 2013, winning the title three times in that span.
Yet since their triumph in 2013, they have reached the podium just once, a third-place result in 2019. Outside of that, they failed to qualify altogether in 2015 and 2017 and were knocked out in the Round of 16 last time out in 2021. On a global scale, Nigeria was once considered a lock to reach the World Cup but failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar and they have begun 2026 qualifying poorly.
No longer one of the continent's most dominant sides, can the Super Eagles redeem themselves in 2024 and reestablish some credibility to begin a push towards a return to glory? They have an extremely talented side, but coaching and locker room harmony continue to threaten their standing amongst the rest of Africa.
Full breakdown of Nigeria squad for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, played in early 2024, will be broadcast in the United States and Canada on beIN Sports, which is available to stream on both Fubo USA and Fubo Canada.
WATCH THE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS WITH FUBO
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports has the broadcast rights to the CAF international championship, with streaming available on its internet platform Sky GO.
CLAIM YOUR BONUS BETS AT DRAFTKINGS TODAY
While Nigeria remains in the top half of the AFCON field from a betting perspective, they are not
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