Head Coach Éric Chelle has released 17 home-based players from the Olympic Eagles camp while strengthening Nigeria’s 23-man squad with 16 foreign-based professionals ahead of the crucial 2028 Olympic Games qualifying encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The development follows a two-week screening exercise involving 24 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players at the team’s training camp in Ikenne, Ogun State.
Only seven players from the domestic contingent made the final squad, while the remaining 17 were released on Saturday to return to their respective clubs and continue their domestic league campaigns.
The selected home-based players are goalkeeper Michael Atata, defender Odinaka Alfred, Emmanuel Ochobi and Aliu Sugau, midfielders Aderemi Adeoye and Abdulmuiz Adeleke, alongside Rivers United goalkeeper Clinton Andy.
Chelle has complemented the domestic contingent with 16 foreign-based players, including Genk defender Christian Akpan, FC Basel’s Victory Akpe, Norway-based Vince Osuji and Daniel Daga of Molde FC.
Other notable foreign-based inclusions are Chibuzor Nwoko of Fulham, Peter Edokpolor of Benfica, Zadok Yohanna of Brighton, Umar Abubakar of Famalicão and Sulaiman Sani of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Qadsiah.
The squad also features goalkeeper Samuel James of Finnish side SJK FC, Emmanuel Godwin of Pardubice, John Otomewo of Reims, Wilfred George of Kristiansund, Sadiq Saleh of FC Metta, Victor Samuel of Pardubice and Abdullahi Umar of Hradec Kralove.
The 23 players will represent Nigeria in the two-legged qualifying contest against DR Congo, with the first leg scheduled for Friday, November 13, at the Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi.
The return fixture will take place on Tuesday, November 17, at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo, where the Olympic Eagles will seek to secure qualification for the next round.
The seven players based in Nigeria are expected to depart the country on Tuesday to join the foreign-based contingent as preparations intensify.
The encounter represents an important step in Nigeria’s quest to return to the men’s football competition at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The qualifying tournament will also serve as the pathway to the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where Africa’s representatives for the 2028 Olympic football event will be determined.
