Nigeria Set for Fierce West African Derbies as CAF Clarifies African Nations League Format

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be bracing for high-stakes regional clashes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) clarified that the newly-introduced African Nations League will not revolve around a single host nation but will instead operate on a zonal, home-and-away structure.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe had earlier unveiled the competition’s format and calendar in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, confirming that the tournament will kick off in 2029 and provide annual elite-level football for all 54 member associations.

From Nigeria’s perspective, the biggest takeaway is the prospect of regular West African derbies. The Super Eagles have been drawn into the 16-nation West Africa Zone, where they will face traditional rivals such as Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea in a structured group phase.

Unlike the Africa Cup of Nations, which will move to a four-year cycle from 2028, the African Nations League is designed to fill the competitive gap by guaranteeing meaningful matches every year during FIFA international windows in September and October. The competition will culminate in a continental final stage involving zonal champions, but it will not be anchored to one permanent host nation.

For Nigeria, this zonal structure promises renewed intensity in some of Africa’s fiercest rivalries, particularly against Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, while ensuring consistent high-level exposure for emerging talents.

CAF has also confirmed an attractive $10 million prize for the overall winner, underlining the competition’s ambition to become a major fixture on the continental calendar.

As preparations begin toward the 2029 launch, Nigerian football stakeholders will be watching closely, aware that the African Nations League could usher in a new era of sustained regional battles and competitive growth for the Super Eagles.

The African Nations League will be divided into four geographic zones:

• North Africa (6 nations): Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Mauritania
• East Africa (16 nations), including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Rwanda.
• West Africa (16 nations), including Nigeria, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
• Central and Southern Africa (16 nations), including: RD Congo, South Africa, Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.

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