SUPER EAGLES HEAD COACH ERIC CHELLE UNVEILS FINAL 23-MAN SQUAD FOR 2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has announced his final 23-man squad for Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
The squad features key players such as goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Kayode Bankole, defensive stalwarts William Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and Olaoluwa Aina, midfield generals Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, as well as attacking threats Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, and Simon Moses.
Other notable inclusions include defenders Bruno Onyemaechi and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Raphael Onyedika and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze and Sadiq Umar. Czech Republic-based defender Igoh Ogbu also makes the cut, alongside home-based midfielder Papa Daniel Mustapha and Belgium-based forward Tolu Arokodare.
Nigeria will face Group C leaders Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, March 21, before taking on Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, four days later.
Full Squad List:
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)
- Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France)
- Sadiq Umar (Valencia FC, Spain)
- Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
- Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium)
The Super Eagles will be aiming for a strong start in their World Cup qualifying campaign as they seek to secure a spot at the 2026 tournament.