The Super Eagles have a full squad to work with at last. All 24 players invited by head coach Éric Chelle had reported to camp in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, by Wednesday, after flight scheduling problems disrupted the opening days of Nigeria’s preparations for Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Tanzania.
The visitors are also complete. Tanzania’s Taifa Stars, who landed in Uyo on Tuesday without two of their players, welcomed the rest of their 24-man group on Wednesday, setting up an evening of training for both teams at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium complex, the venue for Friday’s game.
A slow start to camp
The build-up did not go smoothly. According to Nigeria Info FM, Chelle and his assistants were in Uyo from Monday, but players only began arriving on Tuesday because of travel problems. Blueprint reported that just 10 players were in camp on Tuesday morning: goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Arthur Okonkwo, Fulham pair Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Benjamin Fredrick and Alhassan Yusuf.
Seven more – Ademola Lookman, Tolu Arokodare, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Chibuike Nwaiwu, Samson Tijani, Tochukwu Nnadi and Francis Uzoho – arrived in time for the first training session on Tuesday evening, taking the number on the pitch to 17. Super Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe confirmed the session, as reported by THEWILL.
The final group landed on Wednesday. BoldSports listed them as midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, Suleiman Mubarak, Abdullahi Bewene, Taiwo Awoniyi, Moses Usor, Bruno Onyemaechi and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, giving Chelle every member of his squad for the team’s second session on Wednesday evening.
Akwa Ibom Football Association chairman Samuel Umoh told Leadership that both teams now had full squads in the state and said he was confident in Nigeria’s preparations.
Why Friday matters so much
Nigeria’s Group L campaign has been uneven. The Super Eagles opened with a 2-1 home win over Madagascar in September but then lost 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau, leaving them on three points from two games. Guinea-Bissau lead the group with six points.
The arithmetic is unforgiving. Tanzania are already guaranteed a place at the 2027 tournament as co-hosts with Kenya and Uganda, which means the battle in Group L is effectively for a single remaining ticket. That leaves Nigeria little room for further dropped points.
After Friday’s game at the 30,000-capacity stadium, the two sides meet again on Tuesday, 17 November, at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
Who is missing
Chelle will be without Victor Osimhen, who is recovering from knee surgery, according to Soccernet. The coach also left out striker Kelechi Iheanacho and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye when he named his squad at the weekend, decisions that have been widely debated by Nigerian fans and pundits.
Osimhen’s absence puts the spotlight on the forwards who did travel. Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams and Taiwo Awoniyi are among the options to lead the line, with Lookman, Simon and Usor providing width and creativity.
Lookman and a familiar opponent
Nigeria have recent, positive memories of facing Tanzania. At AFCON 2025 in Morocco, Lookman scored the winner as the Super Eagles beat the Taifa Stars 2-1 in Fez on 23 December, the start of a tournament in which Nigeria went on to finish third.
Lookman, now with Atlético Madrid after leaving Atalanta in February, remains one of the team’s most important attackers. Tanzania, coached by Miguel Gamondi, will know what to expect from him, but with Osimhen absent, the former African Footballer of the Year is likely to carry even more of the creative burden.
What happens next
The Super Eagles have one more full day of preparation before Friday’s game. With a full squad finally assembled, attention now turns to Chelle’s selection and whether his side can produce the kind of controlled performance that was missing in Bissau.
A win on Friday would lift Nigeria level on points with Guinea-Bissau and put them in a stronger position heading to Zanzibar. A slip would make the road to the 2027 finals in East Africa considerably harder.
Sources: Nigeria Info FM, Blueprint, BoldSports, THEWILL, Leadership, Soccernet, Afrik-Foot.
