By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria’s senior men national team’s camp in Uyo is already bubbling with excitement as 15 players have reported for duty ahead of Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and South Africa.
Among the early arrivals are seasoned internationals Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, William Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, and Moses Simon. They are joined by newcomers Benjamin Fredericks and Amas Obasogie, who will be aiming to impress on the big stage.
Other players already in camp at the time of filing this report include Calvin Bassey, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Chidozie Awaziem, Adebayo Adeleye, Felix Agu, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Frank Onyeka.
The squad will hold its first training session this evening at the main bowl of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, starting at 6 p.m. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is also expected to join later today.
Nigeria face a stern test as they look to revive their qualification hopes after a stuttering start to the campaign. With just one win from their opening fixtures, the Super Eagles are under mounting pressure to deliver convincing performances in the double-header.
Victory against Rwanda and group leaders South Africa will be pivotal to the team’s chances of securing a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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.
