Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has released a 39-man squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
One of the major talking points of the squad list is the return of Super Eagles legend Ahmed Musa.
The erstwhile Super Eagles captain makes the provisional list after an impressive run of form for Kano Pillars in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Eric Chelle invited a handful of the regular players and also handed invitations to a couple of new players including NPFL stars who could make their debuts for the Super Eagles.
Recall that Eric Chelle meets with some of the CHAN players last December before securing the ticket to the Championship of African Nations over Ghana.
Getafe midfielder Uche Chrisantus, Sevilla striker Akoh Adams, Götzepe midfielder Anthony Dennis, are among the newly-invited players.
Others includeRemo Stars goalkeepeer, Kayode Bankole, Niger Tornadoes forward, Papa Daniel, Enugu Rangers Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Genk’s striker Tolu Arokodare, and Slavia Prague’s defender Igoh Ogbu.
Goalkeepeer Adeleye Adebayo, Zaidu Sanusi, Jordan Torunarigha, Joe Aribo, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Paul Onuachu, Sadiq Umar make a return to the squad.
GOALKEEPERS
STANLEY NWABALI, MADUKA OKOYE, AMAS OBASOGIE, ADELEYE ADEBAYO, KAYODE BANKOLE.
DEFENDERS
WILLIAM EKONG, BRIGHT OSAYI-SAMUEL, BRUNO ONYEMAECHI, GABRIEL OSHO, CALVIN BASSEY
OLAOLUWA AINA, ZAIDU SANUSI, IGOH OGBU, JORDAN TORUNARIGHA, IFEANYI ONYEBUCHI
MIDFIELDERS
WILFRED NDIDI, RAPHAEL ONYEDIKA, ALHASSAN YUSUF ABDULLAHI, FISAYO DELE-BASHIRU, FRANK ONYEKA, ALEX IWOBI, JOSEPH AYODELE-ARIBO, ANTHONY DENNIS, CHRISANTUS UCHE, PAPA DANIEL MUSTAPHA
FORWARDS
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE, VICTOR OSIMHEN, ADEMOLA LOOKMAN, KELECHI IHEANACHO, VICTOR BONIFACE, SIMON MOSES, SADIQ UMAR, NATHAN TELLA, CYRIEL DESSERS, TOLU AROKODARE, CHIDERA EJUKE, PAUL ONUACHU, AKOR ADAMS, AHMED MUSA.
Nigeria will take on the Amavubi of Rwanda on 21 March in Kigali before hosting Zimbabwe four days later in Uyo as Eric Chelle looks to turn the fortunes of the team around.
The Super Eagles are in a difficult situation with three points from their opening four fixtures in the qualification series.
A win over Rwanda and Zimbabwe will increase the chances of the team. However, any other result will further complicate issues for Eric Chelle’s men.
