Super Eagles squad announcement: Osimhen, Nwabali in; Brighton star out as Chelle names AFCON Q roster

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has officially confirmed his two squads for the September AFCON 2027 qualifiers, and the Russia friendly, and most of the usual suspects are there, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Super Eagles take on Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in their first two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers this month, followed by an international friendly against Russia.

​Recall that Soccernet.ng had previously confirmed that Nigeria would name two separate squads — one for the competitive qualifiers and another for the Russia friendly. Over the past few days, several names had already leaked as having made the cut.

​Now, the official squad list has rolled out, and it features most of the regular starters.

Super Eagles Squad List

Head coach Eric Chelle has named two 24-man squads for the upcoming fixtures.

​The AFCON qualifying roster, however, remains the main attraction — with Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen emerging as the headline inclusion.

​The 27-year-old forward had been ruled out of action for three weeks by his club and was not expected to receive a call-up. His presence on the roster comes as a welcome surprise.

​His availability delivers a massive boost to Nigeria’s attack, given his reputation as one of the national team's most clinical and reliable performers.

​In goal, Stanley Nwabali returns to the fold. The race for the Super Eagles’ number-one jersey has heated up, with Nwabali set to compete directly against Maduka Okoye and Arthur Okonkwo for the starting spot.

​The roster also introduces fresh faces to the senior setup, with Isaac James, George Ilenikhena, and Moses Usor all earning their spots.

Full List For AFCON Qualifiers

Goalkeepers

• Arthur Okonkwo
• Maduka Okoye
• Stanley Nwabali

Defenders

• Bruno Onyemaechi
• Isaac James
• Benjamin Fredricks
• Emmanuel Fernandez
• Oluwasemilogo Ajayi
• Calvin Bassey
• Chibuike Nwaiwu
• Bright Osayi-Samuel
• Olaoluwa Aina

Midfielders

• Alexander Iwobi
• Frank Onyeka
• Wilfred Ndidi
• Rapheal Onyeka

Forwards

• Ademola Lookman
• Samuel Chukwueze
• Moses Simon
• Akor Adams
• Victor Osimhen
• Tolu Arokodare
• George Ilhenikina
• Moses Usor

📋 Eric Chelle names squads for September and October 2026 Fixtures. pic.twitter.com/W3zThCDUfE

— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) September 17, 2026

There are many new names in the second squad to face Russia. Interestingly, Kelechi Iheanacho, who has been on a goalscoring spree in the second tier of Turkish footall, was named only in the friendly game roster.

Coach Chelle will be hoping that the main squad performs well and claims the maximum six points from the two games against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. The players who have been named in the squad for the Russia friendly will also be hoping to impress.