Chelle Unveils Unwieldy 55-man Super Eagles Squad 18 Days to AFCON 2025

*S’Africa, Cameroon, DR Congo, others have listed final squads

Duro Ikhazuagbe

With the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) barely eighteen days away to kickoff, Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Sekou Chelle, yesterday unveiled a 55-man provisional squad from which he’s expected to name his final 28-man list of players for the tournament scheduled to hold in Morocco.

While the likes of Cameroon, DR Congo and even South Africa have named their final squad for the 35th AFCON, Chelle who just led the Super Eagles to a failed 2026 World Cup qualification misadventure, listed several uncapped players in his unwieldy 55-man provisional squad, a decision that is likely to again blow up in his face.

The fresh rookies called up  include: Blackburn Rovers defender, Ryan Alebiosu; Zulte Waregem midfielder, Tochukwu Nnadi; Ebenezer Akinsanmiro of Pisa of Italy; Peter Agba from Maccabi Haifa; and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s brother Tom, who plays in Turkey.

Other new call-ups are:  Rafiu Durosinmi from Czech club Viktoria Plzen; Austria-based Emmanuel Michael; Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi and Philip Otele, who plays for Swiss side FC Basel.

There are also Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) stars like:  Abdulrasheed Shehu, Ebenezer Harcourt, Ekeson Okorie, Chisom Orji and Adekunle Adeleke.

Expectedly, the bulk of the regulars in Chelle’s team are the usual suspects with which he prosecuted his failed World Cup qualifiers. Captain William Ekong; ace forward Victor Osimhen; midfielder Wilfred Ndidi; and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali are all in the provisional list of 55 players.

Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi are back while midfielders like Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Simon Moses and Chidera Ejuke are also listed.

A final list of 28 players will be drawn from the provisional list in a matter of days.

The Super Eagles are scheduled to arrive at a training camp in Egypt a week from today (Wednesday, 10th December). The team is expected to play a couple of friendly matches before the tournament begins on Sunday, 21st December.

Already, there are speculations that most of the top players may not be available for the tune up matches as their clubs who will lose them for the one month duration of the 2025 AFCON  are not willing to release them for the pre-tournament camping in Egypt

Nigeria’s Super Eagles are in Group C of the tournament alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

Chelle’s 55-man Provisional Squad

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoye (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)