Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle on Tuesday released the final 23-man squad for Nigeria’s must-win 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month. 

Chelle had earlier this month announced an initial 39-man squad for the two matches but has now downsized the list to 23 players ahead of the first game of the qualifiers coming up in 10 days. 

Four newcomers including Czech Republic-based defender Igoh Ogbu made the final cut, alongside home-based Papa midfielder Daniel Mustapha and goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, as well as Belgium-based forward Tolu Arokodare.

As expected, senior players such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Olaoluwa Aina, Williams Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Wilfred Ndidi, Simon Moses are included in the final list with many Nigerians relying on them for victories in the matches. 

Nigeria will confront group C leaders Rwanda in Kigali on March 21 before taking on Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, four days later.

With three draws and a loss in their first four matches of the World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria’s chances of competing in USA, Canada and Mexico next year is in massive jeopardy, and must do everything humanly possible to pick up the maximum six points in the coming days to boost any opportunity they may have left.

The full 23-man squad: 

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars) 

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)

Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Valencia FC, Spain); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium).