Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has named a 24-man squad for the Tanzania double-header in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with Victor Osimhen, Maduka Okoye and Kelechi Iheanacho all missing.
Nigeria are second in Group L and host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday 13 November, before the return fixture at the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar on Tuesday 17 November. The finals will be played in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and the group offers one qualification place.
The squad is led by Wilfred Ndidi and features Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman and Calvin Bassey, with Francis Uzoho, Arthur Okonkwo and Stanley Nwabali the three goalkeepers.
The squad: who is in
Goalkeepers: Arthur Okonkwo (Charlton Athletic); Francis Uzoho (Omonia); Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United).
Defenders: Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos); Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest); Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford); Semi Ajayi (Hull City); Calvin Bassey (Fulham); Chibuike Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City); Abdullahi Bewene (Baník Ostrava).
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Beşiktaş); Alex Iwobi (Fulham); Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution); Tochukwu Nnadi (Marseille); Samson Tijani (Podbrezová); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio); Mubarak Suleiman (Slavia Prague).
Forwards: Moses Simon (Paris FC); Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry City); Akor Adams (Venezia); Ademola Lookman (Atlético Madrid); Tolu Arokodare (Ajax); Moses Usor (LASK).
Who is out
Osimhen, the Galatasaray striker, is injured, and Soccernet has already looked at how his knee surgery reopens the No. 9 race. Iheanacho misses out despite leading the scoring charts in the Turkish second division with 17 goals, and Udinese goalkeeper Okoye is also left out.
Analysis: Chelle has six forwards and no obvious No. 9
With Osimhen and Iheanacho absent, the attack is built from Awoniyi, Adams, Arokodare and Usor as the central options, with Lookman and Simon able to work from the wings. Usor arrives after a Champions League assist that made his case for Tanzania, while Arokodare comes in on the back of a brace for Ajax.
The home leg in Uyo is the bigger prize in a group where only one team goes through, so the striker who starts it will carry plenty of the pressure. Chelle can pick a physical reference point or a mobile front line, and his choice on 13 November will show which route he trusts in the absence of his first-choice number nine.
With Ndidi, Iwobi and Bassey all named, the attack is where the Tanzania games could still surprise.
