Chelle names 24 for Tanzania: Ndidi, Iwobi, Bassey and Lookman in, Osimhen and Chukwueze out; Flamingos world champions

Éric Chelle has named a 24-man Super Eagles squad for the two AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania, the Nigeria Football Federation announced on Saturday, after a week in which the list had been awaited. Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina and Ademola Lookman are in. Victor Osimhen, who had knee surgery last week, and Samuel Chukwueze, who Milan said on 4 November had undergone an operation, are not. The first game is in Uyo on Friday 13 November at 17:00 WAT (17:00 CET).

The squad

The NFF’s release lists three goalkeepers: Arthur Okonkwo of Charlton Athletic, Francis Uzoho of Omonia and Stanley Nwabali of Chippa United. The eight defenders are 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) and Abdullahi Bewene (Baník Ostrava). In midfield: Wilfred Ndidi (Beşiktaş), Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution), Tochukwu Nnadi (Marseille), Samson Tijani (Podbrezová), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio) and Mubarak Suleiman (Slavia Prague). The six forwards are Moses Simon (Paris FC), Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry City), Akor Adams (Venezia), Ademola Lookman (Atlético Madrid), Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) and Moses Usor (LASK).

The NFF gives no reasons for who is missing. Besides Osimhen and Chukwueze, there is no place for Victor Boniface, Kelechi Iheanacho, Maduka Okoye, Paul Onuachu, William Troost-Ekong or Frank Onyeka. Neither the federation’s release nor the reports this site read carried a quote from Chelle.

The camp and the two games

According to Complete Sports, the squad gathers in Uyo on Monday and trains for the first time on Tuesday at the practice pitch of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, where Friday’s game is played. CAF lists the kick-off as 16:00 GMT, which is 17:00 WAT (17:00 CET). The return game is on Tuesday 17 November at 13:00 GMT, which is 14:00 WAT (14:00 CET); the NFF’s release names the venue as the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar, while some earlier reports had said Dar es Salaam.

What Nigeria need

Group L is Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Tanzania and Madagascar. CAF’s own preview of the round says Guinea-Bissau lead with six points and Nigeria are second on three, after Nigeria beat Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo in September and then lost 3-0 in Bissau. Madagascar and Tanzania have one point each, according to Soccernet.ng’s table. Tanzania qualify for the finals automatically as co-hosts with Kenya and Uganda, and CAF’s rules say that in a group with a co-host only the best of the other three teams goes through. So one place is on offer among Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Madagascar, and the NFF’s release says Nigeria must win both games against Tanzania. Guinea-Bissau play Madagascar twice in the same window, on Thursday and on Tuesday 17 November.

The Flamingos are world champions

Nigeria’s under-17 women, the Flamingos, beat Japan 2-1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat on Saturday night, according to Premium Times’ live coverage of the game, which names Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku as the scorers. Premium Times says it is Nigeria’s first title in the competition and the first for an African country. The semi-final, a 3-1 win over Brazil, had two goals from Bashiru.

The Europe-based players this weekend

Lookman was an unused substitute as Atlético Madrid lost 2-1 at home to Barcelona on Sunday night, according to Pulse Nigeria; the match has its own report on this site. Complete Sports reported that Aina was missing from Nottingham Forest’s squad for Saturday’s 3-1 win over Manchester City, and that Nathan Tella did not feature and Boniface was on the bench as Leverkusen won 2-1 at Köln on Sunday. Complete Sports’ round-up of Nigerians abroad also records that Tolu Arokodare scored for Ajax in a 2-2 draw with Twente, that Nwaiwu and Onuachu both made assists in Trabzonspor’s 2-0 win over Alanyaspor, and that Moses Simon played in Paris FC’s 1-0 win at Auxerre on Saturday. Fulham, with Bassey and Iwobi, drew 1-1 with Newcastle; whether Semi Ajayi played in Hull’s 1-0 defeat at Arsenal was not on a source this site could read.

The NPFL

Matchday 12 of the NPFL began on Sunday. Premium Times’ preview of the round had Rangers top on 21 points from ten games, three clear of Kano Pillars, who have played 12, with Nasarawa United on 17 and Plateau United and Katsina United on 16. Rangers hosted Kwara United in Awka on Sunday; Rivers United’s game against Sporting Lagos was postponed. Sunday’s results were not on a source this site could read on Monday morning.

Sources

1. AFCON 2027 Race: Chelle names Ndidi, Simon, Iwobi, Bassey, 21 others for Tanzania, Nigeria Football Federation. Read 00:42 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
2. AFCON 2027Q: Super Eagles Begin Preparations Tuesday For Tanzania Double-Header, Complete Sports. Read 00:48 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
3. Crucial Matchdays 3 and 4 to shape TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualification race, CAF. Read 00:42 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
4. Super Eagles news: Nigeria trail Guinea-Bissau by 3 before Tanzania, Soccernet.ng. Read 00:48 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
5. Japan vs Nigeria LIVE UPDATES: Flamingos chase historic U-17 World Cup title, Premium Times. Read 00:52 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
6. Atletico vs Barcelona: Lookman unused as Fermín López brace powers Blaugrana to thrilling comeback win, Pulse Nigeria. Read 00:55 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
7. Nigerian footballers abroad (section index, 8 November 2026), Complete Sports. Read 00:58 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
8. Official statement: Samuel Chukwueze, AC Milan. Read 01:01 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
9. NPFL Matchday 12 Preview: Rangers, Rivers United face crucial tests, Premium Times. Read 00:58 ET, Nov 9, 2026.

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