Head coach of the Nigerian national football team, Eric Chelle, has officially released his preliminary squad list for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament. The Franco-Malian gaffer named a total of 54 players who will vie for a spot in the final roster set to compete in Morocco.
Deadline Met with Extensive List
Coach Eric Chelle finalized and announced the preliminary squad with nine days to spare before the official deadline set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This extensive list is the first major step in the team's preparation for the continental showpiece. However, the work is far from over, as Chelle is mandated to trim this list down to a maximum of 28 players by December 11, when the final squad must be submitted to CAF.
Key Inclusions and Notable Debutants
The 54-man roster presents a mix of experienced campaigners, returning stars, and fresh faces. Notably, injured defenders Ola Aina and Felix Agu have been included, suggesting positive medical updates on their fitness ahead of the tournament.
The list also highlights the depth of talent available to the coach, with 14 new players receiving their first call-ups to the senior national team setup. In a remarkable show of faith in domestic talent, five players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) made the cut. The most eye-catching of these is 16-year-old Sporting Lagos goalkeeper, Ebenezer Harcourt, whose inclusion has generated significant excitement among fans.
Complete Preliminary Squad Breakdown
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy); Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC, Greece); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos).
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors).
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace, England); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel); Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa, Israel); Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirligi SK, Turkey).
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic Glasgow, Scotland); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen, Germany); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece); Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes); Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen, Czech Republic); Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United); Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves); Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven, Belgium); Philip Otele (FC Basel, Switzerland); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961, Croatia); Emmanuel Michael (Linzer Athletik SK, Austria).
The Road to the Final AFCON 2025 Squad
The announcement ends the anxious wait of Nigerian football enthusiasts who were eager to see the pool of players from which the final AFCON 2025 team would be selected. The coming days will be crucial for Coach Chelle and his technical crew as they assess the players and make the difficult decisions to cut the list by almost half. All eyes will now be on the December 11 deadline to see which 28 players will ultimately earn the privilege of representing Nigeria in Morocco.
