Africa’s biggest tournament is here and we’re covering AFCON picks, parlays and best bets all tournament long. Read on for our Round of 16 Africa Cup of Nations predictions for today’s game between Algeria vs Nigeria at 11am EST on Saturday, January 10, 2026.
AFCON Odds and Picks
Here are today’s odds for the Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16.
| Result | Odds |
|---|---|
| Algeria | +225 |
| Draw | +187 |
| Nigeria | +155 |
| Algeria to advance | +105 |
| Nigeria to advance | -143 |
| BTTS Yes / No | -110 / -125 |
| Over 2.5 / Under 2.5 | +140 / -188 |
Algeria vs Nigeria Preview
Algeria (Les Fennecs / The Desert Foxes)
35th in FIFA Rankings.
They met Sudan on Matchday 1 and the game quickly went in their favor. Mahrez scored 1 minute in, Sudan took a red in the 39′, and Algeria added 2 more in he second half (another from Mahrez) to win 3-0.
It was tighter on MD2, with Mahrez’s 23′ PK standing up as the only goal in a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso.
On MD3 it was one-way traffic against Equatorial Guinea as they went up 3-0 within 32 minutes, and eventually won 3-1.
Next up was what looked to be an incredibly tough match to call and it proved that way vs DR Congo/ The match ended 0-0 and stayed that way until Boulbina scored just before PKs in the 119′ for the 1-0 win. They suffered some losses though, with Bennacer injured and Moussa suspended.
They were 1/2 teams to go a perfect 3-0-0 (Nigeria) in the Group Stahe, while scoring the 2nd-most goals (7) and tying for the fewest goals allowed (1).
Algeria lost to Sudan in the quarters of the Nations Championship in August and since then they’re 10-4-0 in regulation. Their only loss was in the Arab Cup quarters, drawing UAE 1-1 and losing in PKs.
In the shots department they’re both tied in 3rd for shots on target and tied in 3rd for shots on target against.
Nigeria (Super Eagles)
38th in FIFA Rankings.
On Matchday 1, Ajayi and Lookman scored to pace them to a 2-1 win over Tanzania.
On MD2 they were drawn with Tunisia 0-0 until the 44′ when Osimhen broke open the scoring. With goals in the 50′ and 67′ from Ndidi and Lookman, they were cruising at 3-0. But then conceded 1 back in the 74′ and a PK in the 87′ to need to hang on for the 3-2 win.
Next up they met Uganda on MD3 in a game Nigeria didn’t need to win, which saw them rotate several players. Onuachu scored in the 28′ and it stayed that way until Uganda took a red card in the 56′, which then saw Nigeria scored 2 more in quick succession in the 62′ and 67′ from Onyedika. Uganda did pull one back down a man in the 75′, which was their only shot on target.
In one of the most lopsided matches of the tournament, the Super Eagles ran rampant over Mozambique in the Round of 16 scoring twice within 25 minutes and going on to win 4-0. Lookman and Adams scored 1 each, and Osimhem a brace. They had 62% possession and led in shots 21-2 an shots on target 9-0.
They’ve now scored in 13 straight and in 20/21. BTTS bets are 6-1 and 8-2 as they’ve also conceded in 8/10.
I mentioned Algeria’s shots stats, and the team ranked 2nd in both shots on target for and against, is this Nigeria team.
Algeria vs Nigeria Faso Head-to-Head
This has been a fairly split matchup with Nigeria leading 10-3-9. However, it’s been all Algeria of late as the Desert Foxes have won 4 in a row from 2017-2022. The last 2 were friendlies, 2-1 and 1-0.
AFCON Prediction
These were two of the top teams coming into the tournament and they still are now. Nigeria is loaded with firepower and are the tournament’s top scorers with 12 goals. Algeria have also still not lost and for all of Nigeria’s attacking, they can be scored on too, something that has happened in 6/7 of their games.
- AFCON Picks: Both Teams to Score (+100)
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Ryan Métivier is a seasoned editor, writer and communications professional with years of experience in all fields. When it comes to covering sports, he’s written for numerous outlets and organizations including the OHL, CHL, SportsXpress, Sports Betting Dime, Cleveland.com, MassLive, FanSided and others.
While he’ll always cheer for his hometown Toronto teams, when it comes to betting, his only allegiance is his bankroll. Ryan specializes in global soccer, the NFL and the NHL, but if there is a bet to be made, he’ll make it. As the founder of Shred The Spread, Ryan focuses on combining storylines, trends, analytics and good bankroll management to creating simple bets that make sense.
When not making a case for why both teams will score in an MLS soccer match, he can be found focusing his efforts on fitness, attempting to learn Spanish, cooking or planning his travel adventure.
