Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free
Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
Nigeria take on Ivory Coast on Sunday as the two nations bid to become champions of Africa in the Afcon final.
Nigeria had steamrolled through most of this Africa Cup of Nations until their tense semi-final with South Africa, which went to a penalty shootout, where Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho put away the winning spot-kick.
Ivory Coast, the tournament hosts, suffered a torrid start to the tournament and sacked their head coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, following a 4-0 humiliation by Equatorial Guinea. Yet they squeezed through to the knockout stages as a best third-placed team and then proceeded to knock out reigning champions Senegal, much-fancied Mali and DR Congo in the semi-finals to book their place in the final.
Nigeria are looking to secure their fourth Afcon title, while Ivory Coast would win their third if they can finish their extraordinary campaign with victory in the country’s capital, Abidjan.
Here is everything you need to know about the match, and you can get all the latest betting site offers here.
When and where is the Afcon final?
Nigeria take on hosts Ivory Coast on Sunday 11 February, at 8pm GMT. The game will take place at Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.
Is the final on TV?
The Afcon final will be broadcast live on BBC Three as well as Sky Sports’ Main Event and Premier League channels.
How to watch online
The game will be streamed live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport apps and websites. Sky Sports customers can access coverage via the Sky Go app and website.
Predicted line-ups
Nigeria: Nwabali, Troost-Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey, Aina, Osayi-Samuel, Onyeka, Iwobi, Simon, Lookman, Osimhen.
Ivory Coast: Fofana, Konan, Ndicka, Boly, Singo, Kessie, Seri, Seko Fofana, Adingra, Haller, Gradel.
Prediction
Ivory Coast have enjoyed an incredible run and they have home support, while Nigeria have been the best side across the competition. It’s a tight call. Nigeria nicked their group-stage meeting 1-0, but we fancy the Ivorians to edge it this time. Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast.