Eric Chelle has signalled a return for Victor Osimhen, Stanley Nwabali and Ademola Lookman for September’s AFCON 2027 qualifiers, while four fringe players push for a call-up.
Eric Chelle is starting to show his hand. With Nigeria’s opening AFCON 2027 qualifiers just weeks away, the Super Eagles coach has signalled a return for several first-choice names — and dropped hints about four fringe players hoping to force their way into his squad for the first time.
Victor Osimhen, Stanley Nwabali and Ademola Lookman are all set to return to the Super Eagles setup for the September qualifiers, having been absent from the squad since the 2025 AFCON. Ola Aina is also back in contention for the first time since the injury that ruled him out of that tournament — a squad already thinned out by fitness concerns for players like Christantus Uche. As a result, Chelle looks set to field something close to his strongest available group for the opening fixtures.
Notably, the Franco-Malian coach has held off calling up any completely new face for now. That’s a deliberate choice — with just two group games standing between Nigeria and the start of its 2027 AFCON campaign, Chelle appears focused on settling his best XI before experimenting further.
That said, the door isn’t fully closed. Over the past week, Chelle has posted videos on his personal channels of four fringe players scoring for their clubs — without explicitly confirming call-ups, but sending a clear signal that he’s paying attention.
None of the four is guaranteed a place. However, if their club form holds up through the next international window, a first call-up in some time looks increasingly plausible — particularly for Iheanacho and Ilenikhena, whose recent goal returns are hard to ignore.
Nigeria were drawn in Group L for AFCON 2027 qualifying, alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-host Tanzania. As we’ve covered before, only one qualifying spot is up for grabs from the group, since Tanzania has already secured its place at the finals as a co-host. That makes the opening two matchdays — home to Madagascar on 23 September in Uyo, followed by an away trip to face Guinea-Bissau — a genuinely high-stakes start to the campaign.
For a squad still shaking off the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 World Cup, getting senior players like Osimhen and Lookman back involved early is as much about rebuilding confidence as it is about results. In fact, how Chelle balances continuity with fresh legs over the next few windows will say a lot about his long-term project with the team.
Chelle is expected to name his full squad for the September qualifiers in the coming days, once the current round of club fixtures wraps up. Meanwhile, the transfer window closes on 1 September, which could yet affect a handful of fringe players’ club situations — and, by extension, their case for inclusion.
We’ll have the confirmed squad list and our full breakdown as soon as the NFF makes it official. For now, keep an eye on how Yusuf, Ejuke, Ilenikhena and Iheanacho perform for their clubs over the next international break — that’s likely to decide who joins the regulars in camp.
Update: CAF has since confirmed the kick-off times and venues for both qualifiers, with Nigeria hosting Madagascar in Uyo before travelling to Guinea-Bissau.
Source reporting: Soccernet NG.
Update (7 September): Osimhen suffered a groin injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over Basaksehir on 4 September. Read our full breakdown of the injury and what it means for the AFCON qualifiers.
One name to watch between the posts: Arthur Okonkwo has earned a call-up and is pushing Nwabali and Okoye for the gloves.
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