Super Eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho has become the first Nigerian player to arrive in camp as preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations got under way in the early hours of Sunday.
The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that the team’s camp officially opened on 14 December at the Renaissance Hotel in Cairo, with members of the coaching and backroom staff already in place.
Uzoho, who plays his club football for Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, arrived shortly after 2am local time, setting the tone for Nigeria’s final build-up to the tournament in Morocco.
The 27-year-old is part of head coach Eric Chelle’s final 28-man squad, having retained his place despite strong competition for the goalkeeping positions.
Nigeria will head into the tournament with Stanley Nwabali, Amas Obasogie and Uzoho as its three goalkeepers.
While Nwabali is expected to start as first choice, Uzoho brings significant tournament experience, having featured at the 2018 Fifa World Cup and at two previous Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
His early arrival follows an impressive club performance in midweek, when he produced six saves and kept a clean sheet as Omonia Nicosia beat Rapid Wien 1-0 in the UEFA Europa Conference League, earning the Man of the Match award.
The Cairo camp represents the final phase of Nigeria’s preparations, with the Super Eagles scheduled to face seven-time African champions Egypt in a friendly match on 16 December.
The fixture was delayed to comply with Fifa regulations allowing clubs to retain players until 15 December.
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Nigeria will then travel by chartered flight to Fès, Morocco, where all of their Group C matches will be played against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
The Super Eagles open their AFCON campaign against Tanzania on 23 December, before facing Tunisia on 27 December and Uganda on 30 December.
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The tournament carries added significance following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, with the AFCON now viewed as a key opportunity to restore confidence and reconnect with supporters.
