By Wale Mustapha
Head coach of Gabon’s national football team, Thierry Mouyouna, is set to announce his final squad on Thursday for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoffs against Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
According to the Gabonese Press Agency (AGP), Mouyouna has already submitted a provisional list of 32 players to the Gabonese Football Federation, which will be trimmed down to 25 players ahead of the playoff encounter.
The Panthers will face the Super Eagles in the semi-final at the El Barid Stadium in Rabat on Thursday, November 13.
The winner of the tie will advance to the playoff final to meet either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Team captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, along with key players Mario Lemina, Denis Bouanga, and other regulars, are expected to feature in the squad.
Gabon will open camp for the crucial fixture in Rabat on Sunday as preparations intensify for the high-stakes clash.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
