Eric Chelle Picks Osimhen, Lookman in Final 23-Man Squad To Face Rwanda and South Africa
- Nigeria has released its final 23-man squad for September’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa
- Superstars like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Stanley Nwabali are some of the top players listed
- Big omissions from Eric Chelle’s list include Victor Boniface, Terem Moffi, and Sadiq Umar
The Super Eagles final 23-man squad has been announced ahead of two must-win 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and South Africa next month.
The list, released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is packed with experienced and young players as the three-time African champions prepare for the crucial games.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria is under pressure to secure maximum points in Group C as they currently trail leaders South Africa with six points after managing just one win in six games, per FIFA.com.
The Super Eagles will host Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on Saturday, September 6, before travelling to Bloemfontein for a clash against rivals South Africa on Tuesday, September 9.
Nigeria’s qualification campaign has faced early setbacks, making these fixtures vital to their hopes of booking a ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
Osimhen, Nwabali headline Nigeria final squad
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen headlines the attack, joined by Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman and Rangers forward Cyriel Dessers, Soccernet reports.
Also included is first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who retains his spot despite fitness concerns following a minor injury while playing for Chippa United.
In the midfield, Fulham’s Alex Iwobi, Besiktas’ Wilfred Ndidi, Brentford’s Frank Onyeka, and Lazio’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have been listed in the final 23-man squad.
For defenders, Fulham’s Calvin Bassey, Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina, and Birmingham City’s Bright Osayi-Samuel also made the list, alongside captain William Troost-Ekong.
Nigeria’s full 23-man list revealed
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece).
Source: Getty Images
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany); Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC, Belgium).
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Christantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain).
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium).
Big names dropped from the squad
From the original 31-man provisional squad, Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, Real Sociedad striker Sadiq Umar, and Nice’s Terem Moffi missed out on the final selection.
Nathan Tella, Adams Akor, Ebenezer Harcourt, Igoh Ogbu, and Alhassan Yusuf were also excluded from Chelle’s final selection.
Nigeria has seven points in Group C, and must win these two upcoming matches against Rwanda and South Africa to keep any hopes of qualifying for the World Cup alive.
South Africa release final squad
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that South Africa have announced their final 23-man squad for next month's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches and included a Nigerian player.
South Africa will face neighbours Lesotho on matchday five on September 5, before hosting the Super Eagles of Nigeria at Bloemfontein five days later.
Source: Legit.ng
