Eric Chelle, the head coach of the Super Eagles, has unveiled the final 23-player squad for Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers later this month.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the squad release in a statement on Tuesday, one week after unveiling a provisional list of 39 players.
One of the most surprising aspects of the final list is the exclusion of key players, Frank Onyeka, forward Kelechi Iheanacho, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, and Ahmed Musa.
Okoye and Iheanacho have been left out despite their regular involvement with the national team in previous fixtures but both players have struggled for form at club levels. Onyeka’s exclusion is shocking as he has been very active with Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
READ MORE:Eguavoen questions possible exclusion of Iheanacho from Super Eagles squad
The final squad features several familiar faces, with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, and Moses Simon leading the attacking lineup.
Midfielders like Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, and Raphael Onyedika are also included, while the defense includes William Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and Ola Aina.
Notably, Nathan Tella and Joe Aribo make their return to the national team after lengthy absences, while three fresh faces—Tolu Arokodare, Igoh Ogbu, and Papa Mustapha—will make their Super Eagles debuts. Home based players didn’t miss out entirely as Bankole and Mustapha make the cut
Chelle includes 2 home based players in first 23-man squad.
Full List of 23 Super Eagles for the Rwanda and Zimbabwe Matches:
Goalkeepers:
- Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)
- Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania)
- Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)
Defenders:
- William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia)
- Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey)
- Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece)
- Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England)
- Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)
- Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
Midfielders:
- Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England)
- Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)
- Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA)
- Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)
- Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England)
- Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Forwards:
- Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy)
- Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey)
- Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy)
- Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
- Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France)
- Sadiq Umar (Valencia FC, Spain)
- Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
- Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium)
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The Super Eagles will face Rwanda in Kigali on March 21 and Zimbabwe in Uyo on March 25. These will be Chelle’s first matches in charge of the national team since his appointment as head coach in January, making the stakes even higher for the team, which is currently winless after four World Cup qualifiers.
