The Nigeria-Ghana rivalry is expected to produce an electrifying two-legged affair, with both teams vying for a spot in the prestigious tournament.
The stage is set for a thrilling "Jollof Derby" as Nigeria and Ghana face off in the second round of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 qualifiers in December.
The two teams were paired during the draw at CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.
Ghana will host the first leg between 20-22 December while Nigeria will welcome the Black Galaxies for the return leg on 27-29 December.
This encounter revives memories of their previous meeting in the CHAN qualifiers, where Ghana eliminated Nigeria via penalty shootouts after a 2-2 aggregate scoreline.
The winner of this two-legged tie will secure a spot in the CHAN 2024 tournament, scheduled to take place in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from 1-28 February 2025.
Expanded version
This edition will feature 19 teams, an increase from the 18-team 2022 edition.
Notably, two-time winners Morocco, 2011 champions Tunisia, and 2014 winners Libya are guaranteed spots in the finals, having been the only entrants from the North African region.
Reigning CHAN holders Senegal will also be in action, facing either Sierra Leone or Liberia in the second round of qualifying.
The 42 entrants have been divided into six regional zones, with five zones providing three qualifiers each.
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However, the Cecafa region has been allocated an additional spot, as Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will participate in the preliminaries despite automatically qualifying as joint hosts.
The team achieving the best result in the Cecafa qualifiers will advance.
The 2024 CHAN finals will serve as a test event for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Additionally, the prize money has been increased by 60%, with the winners set to receive $2 million.
The Nigeria-Ghana rivalry is expected to produce an electrifying two-legged affair, with both teams vying for a spot in the prestigious tournament.
The CHAN tournament is reserved exclusively for players plying their trade in their domestic league; meaning Nigeria will be represented by the Super Eagles B team.
