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Uganda and Nigeria will meet at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals for only the second time in history when they clash in a Group C encounter at the Complex Sportif de Fès on 30 December. Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT).
Their sole previous meeting at the AFCON finals dates back to the semi-finals of the 1978 tournament, where Uganda edged Nigeria 2-1 to book a place in the final. Abdulla Nasur opened the scoring for Uganda in the 11th minute before Martins Eyo equalised for Nigeria in the 54th minute. Phillip Omondi then struck the decisive goal four minutes later to seal victory for the Cranes.
Across all competitions, the two sides have met eight times, with Uganda holding a slight advantage—four wins to Nigeria’s two, while two matches have ended in draws.
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Both nations have also crossed paths in AFCON qualification campaigns, notably for the 1994 and 2008 tournaments. In those four qualifying matches, Nigeria recorded two victories, Uganda claimed one, and one ended in a draw. On both occasions, the Super Eagles progressed ahead of the East Africans.
Their most recent encounter was an international friendly played on 20 November 2018 in Asaba, which ended goalless. Uganda are currently unbeaten in their last three matches against Nigeria, recording two wins and one draw.
Nigeria’s last victory over Uganda came during the 2008 AFCON qualifiers, when the Super Eagles secured a 1-0 win on 24 March 2007 at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, courtesy of a 73rd-minute strike from former captain Nwankwo Kanu.
The upcoming Group C showdown in Fès presents Nigeria with an opportunity to halt Uganda’s recent dominance, while the Cranes will be aiming to extend their positive run against the West African giants on the continent’s biggest football stage.