Olympic Eagles face DR Congo behind closed doors Friday in AFCON qualifier
Nigeria's Olympic Eagles travel to Lubumbashi for the first leg of their 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations second-round qualifier against DR Congo on Friday, 13 November at TP Mazembe Stadium. The match will be played behind closed doors as a security measure by Congolese authorities, meaning no spectators will be admitted.
The reverse fixture takes place four days later on Tuesday, 17 November at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State. The winner of this two-legged tie advances to the third round to face either Burkina Faso or Sierra Leone for a spot at the 2027 U-23 AFCON.
For Nigerian fans, the behind-closed-doors ruling means the first leg is TV-only — check NFF social channels for broadcast details. The Ikenne return leg offers a chance to attend in person; Remo Stars Stadium capacity is roughly 5,000. Nigeria's U-23s have historically struggled in away legs in Central Africa — Lubumbashi's altitude and hostile atmosphere are genuine factors even without crowds.
No kick-off times were confirmed in the report. The Olympic Eagles' preparation camp and squad list have not yet been announced by the NFF.
Will the behind-closed-doors advantage help Nigeria secure a result to make the Ikenne leg a formality, or does Lubumbashi's pitch and travel fatigue level the playing field?