Why Eric Chelle ‘Fought’ NFF Before Releasing 24-Man Squad vs Gabon World Cup Playoff

• Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle named his 24-man squad for the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off against Gabon on Saturday, November 8
• Nigeria will face the Panthers on November 13, with the winner meeting DR Congo or Cameroon for a spot in the Intercontinental play-offs
• A source has explained what transpired between the former Mali coach and the NFF before the list was released
• Journalist Arinzechi Chukwunonso backs Chelle's decision to have an expanded list for the playoffs

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has released his 24-man squad for the must-win 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff clash against the Panthers of Gabon.

The 47-year-old tactician guided Nigeria to a second-place finish in CAF qualification group C, amassing a total of 17 points.

The Super Eagles are now aiming to secure Africa's sole ticket for the intercontinental playoffs after South Africa secured the automatic ticket, per ESPN.

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Chelle’s squad list comprises eight forwards, five midfielders, eight defenders, and three goalkeepers, per Yahoo Sports.

NFF explains delay in squad announcement

An official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed the reason behind the delay in releasing the Super Eagles squad list for the upcoming World Cup playoffs.

According to Score Nigeria, the delay arose from a minor disagreement between head coach Eric Chelle and the federation over the number of players to be invited.

The source disclosed that Chelle opted to expand the squad from 23 to 24 players, confident that Nigeria would overcome Gabon and advance to the final against either DR Congo or Cameroon.

The coach reportedly included Semi Ajayi as the 24th player, despite the defender being suspended for the clash with the Panthers.

“Coach Eric Chelle submitted his squad much earlier and we were about to name the squad before Gabon. The issue was that Chelle demanded for a bigger squad, while the NFF wanted the coach to only call up 23 players to save cost.

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“Chelle argued he will be a lot more comfortable with more than the usual 23 players because hopefully Nigeria will play two very important matches within a short time and one cannot rule out injuries and fatigue.”

Chelle knows what he wants - Chukwunonso

Nigeria sports journalist, Arinzechi Chukwunonso, has backed the decision of Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle to have an expanded list for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs.

Speaking in an exclusive comment with Legit.ng, Chukwunonso said Chelle is confident in himself and Nigerians should expect positive results in the coming days. He said:

"I like the confidence of Eric Chelle; he knows what he wants and the Nigeria Football Federation must help him succeed.

"The addition made by the Super Eagles coach is a welcome idea and he is thinking two steps ahead of the NFF officials."

Why Chelle named suspended Semi Ajayi

Legit.ng earlier reported that Semi Ajayi has emerged as one of the most reliable defenders for the Super Eagles since making his debut.

Ajayi replaced captain William Troost-Ekong in the final two qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic, demonstrating Chelle’s trust in his abilities.

Source: Legit.ng