Aina, Fredricks return as Chelle names Eagles squad for AFCON qualifiers

Eric Chelle, Super Eagles head coach, has named a 24-player squad for the team’s opening matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The Eagles will play their first two qualification matches for the next AFCON against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Victor Osimhen makes the squad list for the qualifiers despite missing the last few Galatasaray matches due to a hamstring injury, and he is joined by other regular names like Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Calvin Bassey.

The duo of Ola Aina and Benjamin Fredricks return to the team after almost a year out due to injuries.

George Ilhenikina gets his first-ever Eagles call-up, alongside Moses Usor and Isaac James.

Nigeria will host Madagascar’s Barea at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on September 25, before flying to Bissau to take on the Wild Dogs four days later.

Chelle also named a rotated squad for the Eagles’ friendly game against Russia’s senior men national team scheduled for the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6.

Only Ndidi, Simon, Fredricks, Stanley Nwabali, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Raphael Onyedika and Akor Adams stay for both games, while others are replaced by newer faces.

24 SUPER EAGLES FOR AFCON 2027 QUALIFIERS VERSUS BAREA & WILD DOGS

Goalkeepers: Arthur Okonkwo (Charlton Athletic, England); Maduka Okoye (Udinese Calcio, Italy); Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)

Defenders: Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Isaac James (Alverca FC, Portugal); Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford FC, England); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Chibuike Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Raphael Onyedika (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany); Frank Onyeka (Coventry City, England)

Forwards: Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Akor Adams (Venezia FC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Ajax FC, The Netherlands); George Ilhenikina (Al Ittihad, Saudi Arabia); Moses Usor (LASK FC, Austria

24 SUPER EAGLES FOR FRIENDLY MATCH VERSUS ‘THE BOYS’ OF RUSSIA

Goalkeepers: Michael Atata (Ikorodu City); Samuel James (SJK FC, Finland); Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)

Defenders: Kenneth Igboke (Enugu Rangers); Isaac James (Alverca FC, Portugal); Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford FC, England); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Victory Akpe (FC Basel, Switzerland); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham FC, England); Abdullahi Bewene (FC Banik Ostrava, Czechia)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany); Chibuzo Nwoko (Fulham FC, England); Stephen Michael (Vendsyssel FF, Denmark); Igor Wilfred (Kristiansund FC, Norway); Ridwan Abdulrasaq (Al Wasl, UAE); Suleiman Mubarak (Slavia Prague, Czechia); Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City);

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Akor Adams (Venezia FC, Italy); Peter Edokpolor (SL Benfica, Portugal); Abubakar Umar (FC Famalicao, Portugal); Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove, Czechia)