The Super Eagles’ camp officially opened in Rabat, Morocco, on Sunday with the arrival of the first 10 players as Nigeria begins final preparations for the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup CAF playoffs.
The team’s media officer, Promise Efoghe, confirmed the arrivals at the Rive Hotel in Rabat, signaling the start of a potentially decisive week for Nigeria’s campaign to secure a berth at the world’s biggest football stage.
According to a report from Vanguard, the initial batch of early arrivals included the Fulham trio of Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, and Samuel Chukwueze, alongside Tolu Arokodare and Olakunle Olusegun.
Later on Sunday, the squad was bolstered by the arrival of three more prominent players. Efoghe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN):
“Later on Sunday, three more players—Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon, and William Troost-Ekong—joined up with the squad, bringing the number of players in camp to eight.
By nightfall, Benjamin Fredericks and Chidozie Awaziem also checked in, raising the total number of players in camp to 10 as preparations gathered pace.”
NAN also reports that coach Eric Chelle finalized his 24-man squad on Saturday, naming a strong roster featuring numerous Europe-based stars.
This squad features several changes from the last month’s qualifiers, where Nigeria recorded key victories over Lesotho and Benin to secure their playoff spot as one of the four best runners-up across the nine African groups.
Notable returnees include goalkeeper Maduka Okoye of Udinese, set to provide competition for Stanley Nwabali, and defender Chidozie Awaziem.
Midfielder Raphael Onyedika and forward Chidera Ejuke have also been recalled, while players like Felix Agu, Terem Moffi, and Christantus Uche were omitted.
Nigeria faces Gabon in the first playoff match on Thursday. A victory would propel them into the African playoff final against either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo on November 16, also in the Moroccan capital, with the ultimate winner still needing to navigate an intercontinental playoff in March 2026 in Mexico.