SUPER Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has made two late changes to Nigeria’s 23-man squad ahead of their final 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Benin.
The adjustments follow injuries to Cyriel Dessers and Bright Osayi-Samuel, who have both been ruled out of the fixtures.
In their absence, right-back Zaidu Sanusi has been drafted in to replace Osayi-Samuel, while forward Uche Christantus takes Dessers’ spot in the squad.
The initial 23-man roster had been unveiled on Friday, October 3
Sanusi, who was instrumental in Nigeria’s run to the Africa Cup of Nations final, returns to the national team after recovering from a long-term injury that sidelined him for over a year. His comeback is expected to strengthen the Super Eagles’ defensive setup.
Uche, one of the promising talents among Nigeria’s new generation of players, earned his senior debut earlier in June. His latest call-up presents another chance to cement his place in the national team.
Meanwhile, there are growing concerns over Werder Bremen full-back Felix Agu, who picked up an injury during a Bundesliga clash with St. Pauli. His condition will be evaluated ahead of Nigeria’s opening qualifier.
Coach Eric Chelle’s updated 23-man squad combines seasoned internationals with emerging talents as the Super Eagles aim to secure all six points from their remaining fixtures.
Nigeria will open their campaign against Lesotho on October 10 before heading to Cotonou for their second match against the Benin Republic on October 14
The back-to-back encounters are pivotal to Nigeria’s qualification hopes, as the team must claim victories to remain firmly in contention for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org