Nigeria’s Super Eagles made an impressive start to their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 campaign, with millions of fans across the country tuning in to watch a 2-1 victory over Tanzania in their opening group match on 23 December.
The festive period was given an early lift as the match reached an estimated 27 million homes nationwide, with 21 million viewers watching via Free-to-Air (FTA) television. The wide reach was made possible through AfroSport and its network of broadcast partners across Nigeria.
On the pitch, the Super Eagles set the tone early. England-based defender Semi Ajayi opened the scoring in the first half, rewarding Nigeria’s strong start and giving the fans plenty to cheer. Tanzania responded with resilience, but Nigeria maintained control for much of the contest.
Despite Tanzania levelling the scoring, the decisive moment arrived after the break when Ademola Lookman struck the winning goal, sealing all three points and giving Nigeria a confident platform for the rest of the tournament.
The strong viewing figures reflected the sense of national unity around the team, particularly during the holiday season.
AfroSport Chief Consultant Akintunde-Johnson Bada highlighted the significance of the occasion, noting how the tournament has brought fans together across the country.
“As we approach the national holiday, it is amazing to see the nation come together to cheer on our heros as they seek to spread some festive joy”, he said. “The AFCON 2025 is one of those increasingly rare occasions which is freely available to everyone to be part of a collective shared experience that will live long in the memory.”
“We are privileged to be of service to the millions of fans across the country, and are thankful to NWTV, CAF and our broadcast sponsors for making it possible for fans to come together to watch their heroes freely and join in the fun and celebration, as our boys seek to bring the trophy home – the best Christmas gift to Nigerian football fans everywhere!”
With the Super Eagles now up and running at AFCON 2025, attention turns to the next group fixtures as Nigeria continue their push for continental glory, hoping to turn early momentum into a title-winning run in Morocco.
The Super Eagles will face Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles on Saturday, 26 December, before battling the Uganda Cranes on Tuesday, 30 December.
