Super Eagles AFCON squad features Osimhen, Lookman and Ndidi as Eric Chelle names separate teams for Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Russia

Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle on Thursday, 17 September 2026, named separate Super Eagles squads in Abuja for Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau and the subsequent international friendly against Russia, with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and captain Wilfred Ndidi leading the 24-man qualifying group.

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The Super Eagles will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, 25 September, before travelling to Bissau for a meeting with Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, 29 September. Nigeria will then face Russia in an international friendly in Nizhny Novgorod on 6 October.

Chelle has largely retained the experienced core of the national team for the competitive fixtures, while also introducing several younger players as Nigeria begin their campaign for a place at the 2027 AFCON finals.

The Super Eagles AFCON squad includes goalkeepers Arthur Okonkwo, Maduka Okoye and Stanley Nwabali.

Nwabali’s return is one of the notable features of the selection after the Chippa United goalkeeper missed Nigeria’s previous international assignments. Okonkwo, meanwhile, receives his first senior call-up.

The defensive group includes Olaoluwa Aina, Calvin Bassey, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, Semi Ajayi, Benjamin Fredricks, Emmanuel Fernandez, Chibuike Nwaiwu and Isaac James.

Aina and Fredricks return to the squad, while Portugal-based defender Isaac James receives his first senior invitation.

In midfield, Chelle has selected Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika.

The attack contains some of Nigeria’s most established international forwards, with Osimhen joined by Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Akor Adams and Tolu Arokodare.

George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor also receive senior opportunities, with Ilenikhena earning his first call-up.

Osimhen’s inclusion is particularly notable because the Galatasaray forward has recently been dealing with an injury that has kept him out of action for around two weeks.

His presence nevertheless gives Chelle an important attacking option ahead of the opening qualifiers.

Nigeria enter the qualifying campaign after finishing third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The Super Eagles defeated Algeria 2-0 in the quarter-finals before their tournament ended in the semi-finals.

The qualifying group has an unusual structure because Tanzania, one of the 2027 tournament co-hosts, already has an automatic place.

Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau are therefore competing for the qualifying place available from the group.

The opening fixture against Madagascar gives Chelle an immediate opportunity to establish momentum before Nigeria travel to Guinea-Bissau four days later.

Chelle has taken a different approach to the Russia friendly, selecting a separate squad with several less-established players included.

Stanley Nwabali is retained for the October fixture, while Chibuzor Atata and Samuel James provide additional goalkeeping options.

The Russia squad also includes experienced players such as Ndidi, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Raphael Onyedika and Kelechi Iheanacho, alongside a number of younger players hoping to make an impression at senior international level.

Iheanacho’s inclusion provides an interesting return to the national set-up for the former Manchester City and Leicester City forward, who has remained an established figure in Nigerian football over the years.

The October friendly also creates room for players outside Chelle’s regular competitive selection to stake a claim for future international assignments.

The decision to use separate groups allows the coaching staff to manage the demands of a busy international window while assessing a broader pool of players.

For the immediate future, however, the attention remains on Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

The opening qualifiers will be Nigeria’s first competitive fixtures since the 2025 AFCON and will provide an early indication of how Chelle intends to shape the side as the qualifying campaign develops.

The coach has combined familiar names with several fresh faces, giving the squad both experience and new possibilities as Nigeria begin another campaign on the continental stage.

For the players receiving their first invitations, the September fixtures could provide an important introduction to senior international football.

For established figures such as Osimhen, Lookman and Ndidi, the focus will be on helping Nigeria negotiate the opening stage of the qualification process.

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The separate Russia selection, meanwhile, gives Chelle another opportunity to broaden his options before the Super Eagles’ longer-term competitive programme gathers pace.