Chelle Names 12 Debutants in Eagles Unity Cup Squad

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has officially named 12 debutants in Nigeria’s 27 man squad for the upcoming 2026 Unity Cup mini tournament in London.

The selection fulfills his earlier promise to extensively scout both the Nigeria Premier Football League and foreign based players of Nigerian descent.

Back in April, Chelle outlined his plans to use the Unity Cup as a testing ground for new talent, while preserving his established core squad for the crucial June friendlies against Poland and Portugal.

“The Unity Cup provides a platform to assess new players. I will comb Europe and invite new players of Nigerian descent, alongside those who were previously called up but never got the chance to feature.

“Top players from the Nigeria Premier Football League will also be considered, as I will be watching a number of domestic league games from now until the end of the season,” Chelle explained.

True to his word, the Franco Malian tactician spent the last few months traveling across Nigeria. He was spotted monitoring domestic league matches at various venues, including the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

The final Unity Cup squad heavily reflects this domestic scouting mission. Several standout performers from the NPFL earned maiden invitations, joining a host of promising foreign based prospects eager for senior national team recognition.

Among the most notable new additions is Arthur Okonkwo, the former Arsenal academy goalkeeper who recently committed his international future to Nigeria after receiving official clearance from FIFA.

The 24-year-old shot stopper, currently playing for Wrexham AFC, is the only Unity Cup debutant who was also selected for the high-profile June friendlies against Poland and Portugal.

In the domestic league, breakout goalkeeper Michael Atata received his first call up following an impressive season with Ikorodu City, where he managed to keep 16 clean sheets.

Chelle also handed maiden defensive invitations to Obinna Igboke and Chibueze Oputa of Enugu Rangers, alongside Elias Ochobi from Rivers United.

The midfield additions include defensive midfielder Aderemi Adeoye, creative playmaker Ayobami Junior of Shooting Stars, and Ikorodu City’s Tosin Oyedokun.

Up front, Chelle introduced a wave of fresh attacking options. Irish born striker Owen Oseni made history by becoming the first Irish born player invited to the Super Eagles.

He is joined by Sweden based teenager Zadok Yohanna of AIK, towering forward Rafiu Durosinmi, and winger Femi Azeez. Azeez recently pledged his allegiance to Nigeria over England and Spain following a stellar Championship campaign with Millwall, where he registered 11 goals and seven assists.

While the squad features 12 absolute newcomers, it also marks the return of several players after long absences. Samson Tijani earned his first call up in six years, having last featured for Nigeria in a friendly against Algeria in October 2020.

Defenders Chibuike Nwaiwu and Emmanuel Fernandez, along with winger Philip Otele, were also recalled after making their debuts during the March international window. Midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro retained his spot despite still waiting for his first senior cap.

Nigeria is scheduled to face Zimbabwe in the Unity Cup semifinal at The Valley on May 26. The winner will progress to the final to face either Jamaica or India.

It is important to note that appearances in the Unity Cup will not count as official FIFA international caps because the tournament falls completely outside the recognized FIFA calendar.

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Running from May 26 to May 30, it is classified as an unofficial exhibition competition. Since clubs are not obligated to release players for unofficial events, Chelle opted for an experimental squad dominated by NPFL players and fringe internationals whose club seasons have already concluded.

For the official June international window, Chelle will revert to a highly experienced core. Established stars like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Maduka Okoye, Alex Iwobi, and Wilfred Ndidi will rejoin the team for the friendlies against Poland in Warsaw on June 3 and Portugal in Leiria on June 10. These matches serve as vital preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.