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.
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.