Sports

Musa Left Out as Chelle Unveils Final Super Eagles Squad for World Cup Qualifiers ( Full List)

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has announced a final 23-man squad for Nigeria’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) released the list on Tuesday, trimming down from an earlier 39-man provisional squad revealed last week.

The most notable omission is Ahmed Musa, long-time team captain, who was surprisingly included in the provisional list despite not featuring during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. Musa’s exclusion marks a significant moment as Chelle begins shaping the squad in his first outing since being appointed head coach in January.

The final squad features key names like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, and Moses Simon in attack. Midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Raphael Onyedika also make the list, while the defence is bolstered by William Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and Ola Aina.

There are returns for Nathan Tella and Joe Aribo, both back in the national setup after lengthy absences. New faces include Tolu Arokodare, Igoh Ogbu, and Papa Mustapha, who earn their first-ever Super Eagles call-ups.

Nigeria will face Rwanda in Kigali on March 21 and host Zimbabwe in Uyo on March 25. These will be Chelle’s first competitive matches in charge. The Super Eagles, currently winless in the qualifiers with three draws and one loss, sit fifth in Group C and face a must-win scenario to revive hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup in the United States.

Final 23-man Super Eagles Squad:

Goalkeepers:

Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)

Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania)

Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)

Defenders:

William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia)

Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce, Turkey)

Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos, Greece)

Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England)

Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)

Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)