National Teams
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Super Eagles camp swell to 20 with five new arrivals
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
20 players are now in the camp of Nigeria’s senior men’s national team ahead of Friday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against South Africa in Uyo.
Five players who were stranded in Lagos and elsewhere as a result of the strike embarked on by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) were ferried into Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Tuesday.
Defenders Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Calvin Bassey, alongside midfielder Frank Onyeka and forward Paul Onuachu landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo just after noon aboard a private jet arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation, and were driven to the team’s Ibom Hotel and Resorts to meet up with teammates in time for lunch.
Their arrival increased the number of players in camp to 20 ahead of Friday’s crunchy tie with the Bafana Bafana.
The clash reenact the semi-final encounter at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which ended in a 1-1 draw with the Super Eagles securing a 4-2 victory on penalties in Bouake, Cote D’Ivoire.
Finidi George’s side is having a slow start to their World Cup Qualifiers with two points from two games after 1-1 draws with Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
The Super Eagles occupy the third position on the log behind leaders Rwanda which had four points and their next opponents with three points.
The 10-match series will end in October next year, with winners of the nine groups qualifying automatically for the finals in Canada, USA, and Mexico.
The best four second-placed teams in all nine groups will contest a CAF Play-off Tournament, with the winner going ahead to contest a FIFA Play-off Tournament for another slot.
Nigeria has reached the Round of 16 of the World Cup thrice in their six appearances but missed out on the Qatar 2022 party to West African rivals, Ghana.
