At least 18 players have arrived at the Super Eagles’ camp in Polokwane, South Africa, ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), through the Super Eagles’ official X (formerly Twitter) account, confirmed the players’ arrival on Tuesday night, stating that preparations are now in full swing.
The Super Eagles will face Lesotho on Friday before taking on Benin Republic next Tuesday as part of their journey to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The team opened camp in Polokwane on Monday, under the guidance of the technical crew. Their first official training session was scheduled for Tuesday night.
So far, the following 18 players are in camp:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali, Adebayo Adeleye, Amas Obasogie
Defenders: William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Benjamin Fredrick, Calvin Bassey
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Chrisantus Uche
Forwards: Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Terem Moffi, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Tolu Arokodare
Five more players are still expected to join the squad ahead of the Lesotho game.
The Super Eagles are looking to secure an early advantage in the CAF Group C qualifiers, where they will compete with Lesotho, Benin Republic, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe for a place at the 2026 tournament.
Nigeria, a six-time World Cup participant, failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar and are under pressure to return to the global stage. New head coach Jose Peseiro will be hoping for a strong start to the qualifiers to restore fans’ confidence.
Lesotho, considered underdogs, will be looking to upset the odds, while Benin Republic—led by coach Gernot Rohr, a former Super Eagles manager—will also be aiming to shock Nigeria next week.
The coming days will be crucial for team bonding and tactical preparation as the Eagles aim to secure maximum points from both matches.
