Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has opted for goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi and Zaidu Sanusi, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka, and forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in his 28-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Franco-Malian also picked defenders Chidozie Awaziem and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze and Simon Moses, among others.
There is a return for Cyprus-based goaltender Francis Uzoho, defender Igoh Ogbu and forward Paul Onuachu, while England-based defender Ryan Alebiosu, midfielders Usman Muhammed (Israel), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Italy) and Tochukwu Nnadi (Belgium), and Croatia-based forward Salim Fago Lawal will be joining up with the group for the first time.
Read Also:AFCON 2025: Morocco Unveil Star-Studded Squad
The Super Eagles will clash with the Pharaohs of Egypt in a friendly encounter at the Cairo Stadium on Tuesday, 16th December, before flying aboard a chartered flight from Cairo to Fès (their battlefield in Group C) two days later.
The three-time champions take on the Taifa Stars of Tanzania on 23rd December, before further group phase encounters against Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles (27th December) and Uganda’s Cranes (30th December).
Full List
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)
Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England)
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel)
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961 (Croatia)
30 Comments
If Okoye, Durosinmi, Tella, and other deserving players are left out by crook and corrupt practices. May the children of those involved in these atrocities never be given all thats due to them in this life.
It’s obvious the list has been tampered with.
Usman Mohammed is 31 years. NFF!
No one single current video of usman muhammed
Naija
Uzho made it and okoye was dropped, ok ho na Sidon dey look we dey ho.
Nigeria team list doesn’t matter, what matters is the tactics and team play. Until then no comments and no expectations….
Quota system squad
Not bad squad.
Happy ekong is out completely. He caused us world cup with errors
There must have been a reason for okoye being left out.
Middle is strengthened. Delete Bashir is back. Akinsanmiro is in. I would have preferred uche to be there but midfield has some strength now to some extent.
I hope Chelle can bench iwobi and let him come in the second half of matches. He is not strong enough for African games.
Attack will always be lookman, oshimen and chukueeze. Akor Adams can prove something.
Desser in again. He has not proved himself. Same with onuachu but we can’t ignore his goals in turkey now especially when arokodare is not really doing well.
Onuachu and desser can always come in with experience.
Defence is going to be alebiosu giving osayi Samuel a good run. Igor ogbu can show quality too. Injury just limited him in the past few months.
But I expect Ajayi and bassey in the center
Osayi Samuel and sanusi at right backs
Happy nwabali is back. The best we have now. Not even okoye because okoye has really messed up in eagles shirt. He has a psychological issue with eagles.
Chelle should manage iwobi. He is another big problem for us. He should be an impact player not a starter. We must learn from world cup qualifiers
With the right combination in middle and a stable defence ( I miss Fredericks) and attack that has oshimen with chukueeze and ademola helping out we can spring surprises
Well said @Christian Machinery of Africa.
Where is Okoye? Where is Alhassan Yusuf? Uzoho again???
Paul Anuachu again? He has been a waste of space under different coaches. Can he strife under Chelle’s system? Only time will tell. I will hv prefered some one else
Very interesting…He has his core and a few greenhorns that’s advantage an expanded list gives.
I’m sure a couple of discoveries will be made from this list,have my eyes on Tochukwu Nadi an assured presence in the midfield.Wish Durosimi was picked ahead of fumbling Onuachu..Unless under Chelle Paul discover’s his scoring boots
We are looking forward to more Benjamin Frederick’s in our team.By the time Chelle is finished we shall have a super eagles capable of qualification for the world cup in 2030,of course 2026 world cup shall come and go life goes on!
We know those that will see action and those that completed the list. The key players are all there except those injuries knocked off. I reserve my comments till after our first match we are capable of doing great things with this team and also capable of disappointing.
What a loser squad!!!
2025/26 Israeli Premier League Stats
Club: Ironi Tiberias (Midfielder)
Appearances: ~11 matches (mostly starts)
Minutes Played: ~835 min
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
Shots: ~9 total with ~3 on target
Pass Completion: ~86%
Successful Passes: ~385
Chances Created: ~3
Tackles: ~18
Interceptions: ~12
Recoveries: ~73
Yellow Cards: 7
Red Cards: 0
(Some stats from FotMob/AI Score pages)
FotMob
+1
What This Really Tells Us
He’s a regular starter and clocking serious minutes — coaches trust him.
Goal contributions are low (1 goal, no assists), so he’s not an attacking spark plug, but more of a possessing/distribution midfielder.
FotMob
Passing accuracy is strong (mid-80s%), which is solid in build-up play.
Defensive activity is noticeable — recovering balls, interceptions, tackling.
Watch out for Usman Mohammed that guy will stabilize our midfield. It’s a great team I believe these new players called up will be willing to give out their best just like Benjamin did to prove his inclusion was deserving.
Usman Mohammed 31yrs old yet to play a game this season,definitely not one for the future so why is he in the squad?
But why okoye and Arokodare did not make the squad
The same way an unfit Olisah Ndah and a good for nothing Nwakali found their ways into our 2022 Afcon list without any prior training camps, we are seeing the same pattern repeating itself under this herdsman we call a coach.
2022 failure loading….??
Only time will tell.
If the SE do not make it to the podium (at least) this Afcon, Chelle and Egauvoen should just not bother coming back to Nigeria
Excellent contribution. The problem with .nigeria football is nff and the coaching crew. When you dont address the root or foundation of a problem you will continue to repeat the same mistake.
After our failure to qualify for the world cup what i expect from nff, the technical committee and the coach is a system of selection and Invitation of players based on current form of players, the quality of leagues, the number of matches played by the players.
The system has to be transparent.
Let us hope make it to the quarter finals in this afcon.
I careful not to allow housefly from entering my mouth when I discovered Okoye is left out of the team! There should be an officially communicated reason from Chelle on the reason for dropping him. Though, Stanley has been entrusted with the number 1 responsibility, it’s not an argument, at all, that the most exposed goalkeeper in Nigeria presently and going by the standard of the leagues across the world, is Okoye!
Still can’t understand why Okoye is missing on the list. He’s better than all the goalkeepers picked. Dropping Uche too is a bad decision. Seems Chelle doesn’t like this guy.
Onuachu Konuachu, Onuachu zigizaga, Onuachu deserves his place. Heaven bless Onuachu and all deserving Super Eagles players.
Not sure this team will win a Jack. Lack of good tactics and determination from players is still we are going to see.
Abeg somebody should give me better Christmas chicken and not super eagels.
I can’t let one team spoil my festive season. Super chicken taste better than super eagles.
@Wike, don’t be Wicked. This team will win the Afcon. We have the best strikers in Africa in Paul Onuachu.
Let them go and play three matches or may round of 16 and come back. This team will not exceed quarterfinal. WINIFRED NDIDI IS A BIG BAD LUCK..I don’t like that player
How can uzoho and Amas be selected ahead of okoye? And 31 years old Usman Muhammed playing in Israel second division ahead of a younger Durosinmi or Tella or even a young player from the local Nigerian League?Chelle has allowed some people in NFF to pad his list. This is disgraceful!
It is pointless with the incompetent lot at NFF.
Okoye says that the only way he can come to Afcon is if he will be the no 1 and that is not possible. We move on…
This list is not that good.
Nff aza men!”! All strongly serially Corrupt Nff members and the dubious amaju pinnick and gasua! Nigerians thank you all for perpetually ringing call up lists o! Africa has 9 spot for 2026 World Cup and every other serious nation and it’s football federation were dead serious with every match but we couldn’t get a good coach for many many months and later gift that undeserved finidi a big position he couldn’t handle. Finally Nff rigmarole and gambled with 4 coaches including Eguavoen and we deservedly failed to qualify for world Cup, the same foolishness made amaju pinnick to rohr and appointed the circled Eguavoen with just days to crucial 2 games against Ghana, deservedly we failed to qualify for Qatar 2022 before of our NFFJAMBOREE foolish president and seconding members under that very dubiously inclined amaju pinnick. Under pinnick amaju and now gasua our Nigeria at all levels are a disaster and at all time low! If I was president Tinubu, I will sack and dissolve the full nff including the furniture and cleaners, for system corruption and celebrated incompetency! With these idiots at Nff, Nigeria will again fail to qualify for 2030 world Cup. These Nff are Serial failure! From one failure to another failure. NFF AZA MEN… I’m ashamed for you all.