Egypt and Nigeria meet in the Africa Cup of Nations third-place play-off at Stade Mohammed V, with both sides aiming to quickly recover from semi-final disappointment and finish the tournament on a high, as coaches Hossam Hassan and Eric Chelle highlight preparation for this year’s World Cup and future competitions as a key benefit of this match.
Egypt’s campaign ended at the semi-final stage against Senegal, while Nigeria went out to Morocco on penalties, yet both teams arrive in Casablanca with strong records at AFCON and a long shared history, as this clash becomes the 10th tournament meeting between the Pharaohs and the Super Eagles.
Hossam Hassan stressed that the journey through the tournament has aided Egypt’s longer-term plans, and also
underlined how the third-place game against Nigeria offers another high-level test, despite the disappointment of missing out on an 11th AFCON final after a narrow 1-0 loss to Senegal decided by Sadio Mane’s 78th-minute strike.
Reflecting on the experience, Hassan said: "It has been very good preparation for us. We've tried several systems of play throughout the tournament and played against different types of opponents," Hassan said. "We came close to the final, but that's football.Overall, I'm satisfied with all that happened and what we achieved. We have a good team. We were away from home and did not have a lot of supporters. "
Hassan also pointed to the squad’s profile, noting that only three of Egypt’s 28 players are based in Europe MohamedSalah at Liverpool, Omar Marmoush at Manchester City and Mostafa Mohamed at Nantes which, in Hassan’s view, affects tactical development and physical level compared with squads containing more Europe-based players.
Hassan explained the importance of that European influence, stating: "Players based in Europe gain better tactical acumen and become physically much stronger, and we need that added value to make us better," Hassan added. "I think tomorrow's game gives us a chance to continue preparations, but we always want to win. Egypt always plays to win, we are a team who have won seven Cup of Nations in the past. We will evaluate after the competition where we need to improve. We will study the positive points in order to be much better in both defence and attack. "
Nigeria’s route to the play-off was decided by penalties, as Yassine Bounou’s performance in the shootout delivered a 4-2 victory for Morocco after a goalless 90 minutes, meaning the Super Eagles were eliminated in the semi-finals of AFCON for the eighth time, at least three more than any other national team in tournament history.
This stage has often proved difficult for Nigeria; the Super Eagles have now gone out in six of their last eight AFCON semi-final appearances, having reached the final in six of their first eight, yet Eric Chelle argued that performances across this edition justified belief that Nigeria were close to reaching the showpiece again.
Chelle described the circumstances around the semi-final, saying: "It's difficult to play these big games because you're in Morocco, you play against a team, but you play against the crowd, and you are under more pressure," Chelle conceded. "We missed some movements in that game tactically.So, the reality, I'm proud of my players. It's very hard for me and the players because the reality is we go out of this AFCON without any defeat in the 90 minutes," he added.
For Egypt, Mohamed Salah continues to lead the attack and now stands one goal away from equalling Hassan El-Shazly’s record of 12 goals as the nation’s all-time top scorer at AFCON, having either scored 11 or assisted five of Egypt’s last 30 goals at the tournament, contributing directly to 53 per cent of that total.
Nigeria’s main attacking threat has been Victor Osimhen, who has scored four goals in six matches at this year’s AFCON, after registering only one goal in seven games during the 2023 edition, while also leading all players in expected goals with 4.3 and attempts on goal with 21, with only Morocco’s Brahim Daz scoring more so far, with five goals.
The historic rivalry between these nations is extensive; this is the 10th AFCON meeting between Egypt and Nigeria, making it just the fifth fixture in tournament history to reach at least 10 editions, alongside Ivory Coast v Egypt, Cameroon v Egypt, Algeria v Nigeria and Ivory Coast v Ghana, with Nigeria holding four wins against Egypt, joint-most alongside Cameroon.
Egypt have won only two of nine AFCON games against Nigeria, drawing three and losing four, and among opponents faced at least three times in the competition, only against Algeria do the Pharaohs hold a lower win rate, taking victory in 20 per cent of those five meetings, compared with 22 per cent against Nigeria.
Nigeria’s experience in third-place play-offs is extensive; this will be their eighth appearance in the fixture, already a tournament record, and they hold a perfect record in the previous seven such matches, winning each without requiring extra time or penalties, while Egypt contest this match for the sixth time, the second-highest total.
Egypt’s semi-final defeat to Senegal ended a 15-match unbeaten run at AFCON, which comprised seven wins and eight draws, although the Pharaohs have not lost successive games in the same tournament since 1992, a record they seek to protect when facing Nigeria in Casablanca for the bronze medal.
The statistical outlook ahead of the game suggests a narrow edge for Nigeria, with Opta’s model rating the Super Eagles more likely winners than Egypt, although the probability of a draw remains significant.
| Team / Result | Win Probability |
|---|---|
| Egypt | 31% |
| Draw | 25.7% |
| Nigeria | 43.4% |
This AFCON meeting also takes place with travel and conditions in mind, as highlighted when the Egypt National Team confirmed the move to Casablanca for the third-place contest against Nigeria, underlining the quick turnaround after the semi-finals.
#ThePharaohs are heading to Casablanca for the 3rd place match against Nigeria #egyptnt pic.twitter.com/Pd4Ew9we7BEgypt National Team (@EgyptNT_EN) January 15, 2026
With both coaches emphasising pride and preparation, Egypt aim to respond after a rare semi-final exit, while Nigeria look to preserve a perfect record in AFCON third-place games, as two of the continent’s most successful sides close their campaigns in a fixture shaped by history, statistics and future ambitions.
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