Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi, former Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, and forward Akor Adams have been included by head coach Eric Chelle in the squad for the Unity Cup, scheduled to take place in London later this month.
Unity Cup Details
Defending champions Nigeria will face Zimbabwe, Jamaica, and India in this year's edition of the Unity Cup at the Charlton Athletic Stadium in London. The tournament is part of the Nigeria Football Federation's efforts to help Chelle rebuild the Super Eagles following their unsuccessful campaign to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles are also scheduled to play friendly matches against Portugal and Poland next month as part of the rebuilding process. Chelle has named two separate squads for the two competitions, but captain Ndidi, Adams, and a few other players appear in both lists.
Unity Cup Squad
For the Unity Cup, which will feature a semifinal and final between May 26 and 30, Chelle has selected Ndidi, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, defenders Bruno Onyemaeachi and Igoh Ogbu, forwards Moses Simon, Adams, Terem Moffi, and 20 other players.
The Super Eagles will face the Warriors of Zimbabwe at The Valley on May 26. A victory would propel them to the final against the winner of the clash between Jamaica and India, which will be held at the same venue on May 27.
New Faces in the Squad
The competition provides Okonkwo with the opportunity to make his debut for Nigeria. Also included in the team are defenders Emmanuel Fernandez, midfielders Raphael Onyedika, Tochukwu Nnadi, and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, as well as forward Rafiu Durosinmi, who is also joining the group for the first time.
Home-based players called up include goalkeeper Michael Atata, defenders Elias Ochobi, Chibueze Oputa, and Obinna Igboke, as well as midfielders Aderemi Adeoye, Ayobami Junior, and Tosin Oyedokun.
Friendlies Against Poland and Portugal
Among the 24 players listed for the friendly games against Poland and Portugal are Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Okoye, Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Frank Onyeka, and Alhassan Yusuf, as well as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Paul Onuachu.
The three-time African champions, who have been drawn to face Madagascar, Tanzania, and Guinea-Bissau in the race for next summer's Africa Cup of Nations finals, will take on hosts Poland at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw on June 3. They will then fly to Portugal to face 2026 World Cup-bound Portugal at the Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa in Leiria on June 10.
