By Korede James
Super Eagles new head coach Eric Chelle has said his team’s focus for now is the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe and not the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The draw for the 2025 AFCON was held on Monday in Rabat, Morocco, with the Super Eagles placed in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania.
In the World Cup qualifiers, the Super Eagles are fifth in Group C without a win after four games, drawing three and losing one.
The 2023 AFCON runners-up are four points behind Rwanda, South Africa and Benin Republic who are first, second and third respectively.
Chelle’s first assignment will be in March when the Super Eagles will take on Rwanda in Kigali and host Zimbabwe in Uyo.
“The Super Eagles can beat anyone because they are a strong team but for now we need to focus on the World Cup qualifiers and after that in October we can think about the AFCON,” Chelle said in a video interview with the Super Eagles media team.
“We need to focus on one goal and that goal is the next game against Rwanda.”
The former Mali head coach, however, predicted a tough AFCON 2025 for all the teams that qualified.
“A lot of teams deserve to win the AFCON. It would be a great fight but a team like the Super Eagles can be so ambitious,” Chelle said.
The 2025 AFCON will is scheduled for December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026 in Morocco.
