Written by Rahmon OluwoNigeria sports betting writer
Published 23 October 2026
Éric Chelle has invited 31 home-based players to the Olympic Eagles camp ahead of Nigeria’s U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against DR Congo next month.
The Nigeria Football Federation published the list on Thursday. It has four goalkeepers, nine defenders, eight midfielders and ten forwards. The players are due at the AM2PM Hotel in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on Sunday 25 October.
Nigeria open the two-legged tie in Lubumbashi at the TP Mazembe Stadium on Friday 13 November. The return leg is at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo on Tuesday 17 November.
Nigeria had a bye into this second round, while DR Congo got here by beating Mauritania over two legs. The winner advances to the third and final qualifying round, a two-legged tie on 22 and 30 March 2027. The seven winners of that round join hosts Egypt at the Under 23 Africa Cup of Nations finals, which CAF describes as part of Africa’s pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The full list
| Position | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Chinemerem Olughu | Nasarawa United |
| Goalkeeper | Clinton Andy | Rivers United |
| Goalkeeper | Ebenezer Harcourt | Sporting Lagos |
| Goalkeeper | Michael Atata | Ikorodu City |
| Defender | Gift Subi | Warri Wolves |
| Defender | Hillary Zion | Sporting Lagos |
| Defender | Emmanuel Utake | Rivers United |
| Defender | Chibueze Oputa | Rangers International |
| Defender | Marvelous Freedom | Ikorodu City |
| Defender | Kenneth Igboke | Rangers International |
| Defender | Odinaka Alfred | Nasarawa United |
| Defender | Emmanuel Ochobi | Rivers United |
| Defender | Aliu Sugau | Barau FC |
| Midfielder | Freeman Wuchirwe | Bendel Insurance |
| Midfielder | Victor Samuel | Sporting Lagos |
| Midfielder | Umar Mohammed | Nasarawa United |
| Midfielder | Lucky Oraro | Warri Wolves |
| Midfielder | Aderemi Adeoye | Ikorodu City |
| Midfielder | Sani Shuaibu | Warri Wolves |
| Midfielder | Muhammad Salihu | Sporting Lagos |
| Midfielder | Jude Eventus | Warri Wolves |
| Forward | Junior Ikechukwu | Ikorodu City |
| Forward | Timothy Zechariah | Rivers United |
| Forward | Williams Wonah | Enyimba |
| Forward | Ayoola Olaniyan | Sporting Lagos |
| Forward | Chijioke Samuel | Enyimba |
| Forward | Jofrank Joshua | Nasarawa United |
| Forward | Chimobi Igwilo | Rangers International |
| Forward | Alex Oweifaleya | Bendel Insurance |
| Forward | Abdulmuiz Adeleke | Sporting Supreme |
| Forward | Habila Simon | Wikki Tourists |
Where the players come from
Sporting Lagos supply five players, and Ikorodu City, Nasarawa United, Rivers United and Warri Wolves have four each. Rangers have three, Bendel Insurance and Enyimba two each, and Barau one. The last two places go to Sporting Supreme and Wikki Tourists.
Rivers United, Rangers and Sporting Lagos are the top three in the NPFL, and between them they supply 12 of the 31 players.
Two of the names will be familiar to league followers. Kenneth Igboke scored in Rangers’ 2-0 win over MC Alger in the Champions League first leg. Victor Samuel scored Sporting Lagos’ equaliser in their 3-2 win at Plateau United.
Camp opens on Sunday, the same day as most matchday 10 league games.
