The squad is spearheaded by established stars, including team captain William Ekong, first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, and key players like Olaoluwa Aina, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, and Wilfred Ndidi. The attack is a formidable mix of talent, featuring the likes of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Simon Moses.
Chelle's selection also includes a number of rising stars who have impressed recently. Noteworthy inclusions are the young goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt, who recently made history with the home-based Eagles, and promising talents like Benjamin Fredericks, Felix Agu, Igoh Ogbu, Christantus Uche, and Cyriel Dessers, all of whom had a strong showing at the 2025 Unity Cup Tournament in London.
The list also marks the return of several players, including goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo, defender Chidozie Awaziem, and forward Terem Moffi, who will add depth and experience to the squad.
The two matches are crucial for Nigeria, who are currently fourth in their qualifying group. The Super Eagles will first take on Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Saturday, September 6, before traveling to Bloemfontein for a high-stakes encounter against South Africa on Tuesday, September 9.
The team's camp is scheduled to open in Uyo on Monday, September 1, as preparations for these pivotal games begin.
Provisional Squad in Full:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United), Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars), Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC), Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting FC)
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood), Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC), Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos), Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC), Felix Agu (Werder Bremen), Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC)
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC), Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC), Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge), Christantus Uche (Getafe CF)
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC), Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC), Simon Moses (Paris FC), Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen), Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers), Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad), Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen), Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk), Terem Moffi (OGC Nice), Adams Akor (Sevilla FC)