Nigeria will face a new group opponent at this year's African Nations Championship (CHAN 2025) following the disqualification of Congo.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday, announced Equatorial Guinea as the replacement for Congo in Group D, which already includes defending champions Senegal and Sudan.
This development stems from a decision by the CAF Disciplinary Jury after investigating allegations brought by the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation against Congo.
The jury found Congo guilty of multiple regulatory breaches during the CHAN 2025 qualifiers.
Why have Congo been disqualified from CHAN 2025?
Key violations included Congoโs failure to present valid national licences for players and fielding an ineligible player, Mankou Nguembete Japhet Eloi, in matches against Equatorial Guinea.
Consequently, both games, played on 21 and 29 December 2024, were declared forfeited, with Equatorial Guinea awarded 3โ0 victories in each.
Beyond losing their spot in the tournament, Congo has been fined USD 10,000, payable within 60 days.
According to CAF officials, the ruling serves as a stark reminder to member associations of the importance of adhering to its disciplinary framework, particularly Articles 2, 12, 38, and 150 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
With Congoโs exit, Equatorial Guinea steps into Group D, presenting a new challenge for Nigeria at the tournament scheduled to take place across Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania in August.
The CHAN 2025 draw initially pitted Nigeria against Congo, Senegal, and Sudan.
However, with Equatorial Guinea now replacing Congo, the Super Eaglesโ CHAN squad must adjust their preparations for the revamped group.
The tournament, earlier scheduled for February, has been postponed to August which has seen the Super Eagles B team, who had been training for the tournament, break camp and to resume at a later date.
