The Super Eagles’ camp is bubbling with excitement as 10 players have already arrived ahead of Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff preparations in Morocco.
Early arrivals include Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Tolu Arokodare, Olakunle Olusegun, Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon, and captain William Troost-Ekong — all of whom reported early to kick off light training and recovery sessions.
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By nightfall, Benjamin Frederick and Chidozie Awaziem also checked in, bringing the number of players in camp to 10 as the tempo of preparations continues to rise.
The early arrival of key stars such as Ndidi, Iwobi, and Chukwueze has been described as a huge morale boost for the squad, with the players eager to set the tone for a positive buildup to the decisive encounter.
Head coach Eric Sekou Chelle, who finalized his 24-man squad on Saturday, has assembled a blend of Europe-based talents and home-based standouts for the playoff showdown in Rabat.
Nigeria will face Gabon in the first playoff match on Thursday. A win would send the Super Eagles into the African playoff final against either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo on November 16 — both fixtures to be played in Morocco.
The African playoff round offers teams another route to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. However, the eventual winner of this series will still need to secure victory in the intercontinental playoff scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico.
Chelle’s latest call-up list features notable adjustments from last month’s qualifiers, where Nigeria recorded back-to-back wins against Lesotho and Benin to climb to second place behind South Africa in their qualifying group.
With more players expected to arrive in camp in the coming hours, the Super Eagles’ preparations for the playoff showdown are now in full swing.
