Nigeria vs Madagascar prediction: team news, lineups, expert analysis

The hosts should win convincingly

Author:

Benjamin Mcneil, betting expert

Published: 23 Sep 2026, 15:47

Math prediction 1 X 2

Nigeria

-

Madagascar

-

1.18 Linebet 22 Sep 21:01 1.25 -0.07 21 Sep 20:00 1.12 + 0.13 6.2 Linebet 23 Sep 12:02 6.15 + 0.05 22 Sep 21:01 5.3 + 0.85 22 Sep 20:00 5.35 -0.05 22 Sep 08:00 5.4 -0.05 21 Sep 20:00 5.98 -0.58 20 Sep 20:00 5.76 + 0.22 18 Sep 20:01 5.43 + 0.33 14.4 Linebet 24 Sep 13:00 14.6 -0.2 24 Sep 09:01 14.4 + 0.2 24 Sep 03:01 14.6 -0.2 23 Sep 12:02 14.8 -0.2 23 Sep 04:02 14.6 + 0.2 22 Sep 21:01 11 + 3.6 22 Sep 20:00 10 + 1 22 Sep 08:00 10.5 -0.5 21 Sep 20:00 15 -4.5 20 Sep 20:00 14.2 + 0.8 18 Sep 20:01 13.2 + 1

79% 15% 6%

14 TIPS

Tournament AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations

Date & kick-off time 25 sep 2026, 12:00

The first round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying will feature a match between the national teams of Nigeria and Madagascar on September 26, 2026. The hosts are expected to claim a comfortable victory.

Nigeria - Madagascar team news and expert analysis

Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup, finishing only second in their group before losing to DR Congo on penalties in the playoffs in the autumn. However, they finished third at the AFCON, losing to Morocco in the semi-finals after a 0-0 draw, again only to be beaten in the shootout. Their unbeaten run also continued in friendly matches, with their only defeat coming in June, when they lost 1-2 to Portugal.

Madagascar finished second in their qualifying group but were not given the chance to play in the playoffs. They also failed to qualify for the AFCON, meaning they played only friendlies for almost a year. In those matches, they beat Equatorial Guinea and Kyrgyzstan, drew with the same Guinean side, and suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat to Morocco.

One of the continent's football powerhouses scores an average of 1.8 goals per match while conceding just 0.7. The islanders average 1.9 goals scored and 1.6 conceded.

Previous matches: Nigeria - Madagascar

After a pair of victories, Nigeria somehow went on to lose to the underdogs in 2019.

Iwobi and company are now expected to win with a “-1.5 goals” handicap (odds – 1.66).

Nigeria - Madagascar: key statistics and trends

• Nigeria suffered their first defeat in thirteen matches
• Both teams score in 40% of Nigeria's matches, while the average total goals per game is 2.5
• Madagascar have won two of their last four matches
• Both teams score in 60% of Madagascar's matches, while the average total goals per game is 3.5

Nigeria - Madagascar: possible starting line-ups

Nigeria play in a 1-4-1-2-1-2 formation (possible line-up): Okoye - Onyemaechi, Bassey, Ajayi, Akpan - Ndidi - Dele-Bashiru, Nadi - Iwobi - Simon, Adams

Madagascar play in a 1-3-5-2 formation (possible line-up): Dupire - Tremoulet, Fontaine, Kari - Ponti, Akapandye, Raveloson, N'Zi, Couturier - Abdallah, Adinany

Follow the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying table and check your team's form before placing a bet on the next match

Our Pick

Game Prediction W1(-1,5)

1.66

Details →

Melbet Promo Code

Bonus code ML_6295 Promo code copied

Benjamin Mcneil

betting expert

He is an analyst in the world of football who doesn't mind adding to his budget with a lucky bet, something he has been doing for the last 10 years. I don't believe in luck, but I believe that the motivation of the opponents and their kit plays a big role, and any sensation is explainable. I prefer to play cautiously, because it is better to win 5 out of 5 bets at odds of 1.6-1.7 than to lose 2 out of 3 bets at odds of 2.2.

WinRate WinRate (%) for the last 30 days 59

Avr. Coef. Avr. Coef. for the last 30 days 1.73

Void Voided bets (postponements, cancellations, etc.) in the last 30 days 100

Won/total Performance for the last 30 days 187 / 317

Active tips 29

Form