in Super Eagles’ 24-man African Playoff Squad

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, has recalled Udinese safe hands, Maduka Okoye; Sevilla winger, Chidera Ejuke, and Nantes defender, Chidozie Awaziem in his  24-man list for next week’s 2026 FIFA World Cup African Playoff Tournament in Rabat, Morocco.

Also listed in the playoff squad is  Hull City’s Semi Ajayi who will miss Nigeria’s game against Gabon for the second booking he picked up in the last qualifier against Benin Republic. Ajayi will however be eligible for the next stage of the Playoff should Nigeria advance to play the winner of the clash between Cameroon versus D.R. Congo.

The team is not different from the revamped Super Eagles squad that beat both Lesotho and Benin last month to advance to the Playoffs.

Sevilla striker Jerome Akor, who broke through last month, gets another chance to shine again with the Super Eagles, while key stars like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi keep their places.

Surprisingly, Paul Onuachu who is the second highest scorer in the Turkish Super Lig on seven goals from 11 matches was left out. Onuachu is just one goal behind leader Eldor Shomurodov of Basaksehir who has eight goals in 12 games.  Four other players are on six goals while Osimhen is down the ladder on just three goals from eight matches in the Turkish topflight.

Exciting  young defender, Benjamin Fredericks kept his place in the Nigerian team same as midfielder Frank Onyeka. Raphael Onyedika, Tolu Arokodare and Olusegun Olakunle are also on the roster.

Nigeria will next Thursday take on Gabon in the first semi-final scheduled for the 22,000 – capacity Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat, with Cameroon confronting the Democratic Republic of Congo in the other semi-final at the 18,000 – capacity El-Barid Stadium, also in Rabat.

The invited players are scheduled to fly into Morocco from their different bases in Europe and elsewhere, to converge in Rabat on Monday, 10th November. 

THE INVITED PLAYERS

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy)

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); 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); Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC, Belgium)

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)

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); Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia)