Nigeria Drawn Against Ghana In Beach Soccer AFCON Qualifiers

Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles will face Ghana in the second round of the 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, the Nigeria Football Federation confirmed on its X handle on Tuesday.

The two-legged tie is scheduled for October, with the first legs taking place from 9–11 October 2026 and the return fixtures set for 16–18 October 2026.

The winner of the series will advance closer to the final tournament, which Senegal will host for the second time, having previously staged the competition in 2021.

The AFCON will also serve as the African qualifying route for the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, with both finalists earning a spot at the global event.

Senegal enters as the dominant force in African beach soccer, having won the last five consecutive editions, including the 2024 tournament in Egypt. The Senegalese are record five-time champions of the competition.

Nigeria, the second most successful nation in the tournament’s history with two titles (2007 and 2009), will look to end a drought that has seen them miss the last three World Cups (2021, 2024, 2025).

The Super Sand Eagles have qualified for the World Cup six times overall—in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2017, and 2019—with their best performances coming as quarterfinalists in 2007 and 2011.

The inaugural Beach Soccer AFCON was held in 2006 in Durban, South Africa, where Cameroon defeated Nigeria 5-3 in the final to claim the first title. Since then, only four nations have won the championship: Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Madagascar (2015).

Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles made their World Cup debut at the maiden edition in 2006 but were eliminated in the group stage.