Photo: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo — Wikimedia Commons
Seventeen Super Eagles players took part in the team's first full training session in Uyo on Tuesday as Nigeria intensified preparations for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Tanzania.
Head coach Eric Chelle and his technical crew led the session at the practice pitch of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, where Nigeria will host the Taifa Stars on Friday, November 13.
- 17 of Chelle's 24 invited players trained on Tuesday, including Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey and Stanley Nwabali
- Tanzania's Taifa Stars have also arrived in Uyo and begun their own preparations
- Nigeria have 3 points from their opening two qualifiers and need results after a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau
Who is in camp
The players who trained, as reported from the session, are Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, Arthur Okonkwo, Semi Ajayi, Benjamin Fredrick, Alhassan Yusuf, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Akor Adams, Tochukwu Nnadi, Chibuike Nwaiwu, Moses Simon, Tolu Arokodare, Ademola Lookman, Francis Uzoho, Stanley Nwabali and Samson Tijani.
The squad is without injured striker Victor Osimhen, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who were all left out when Chelle named his 24-man squad on Saturday.
Why this double-header matters
Nigeria sit on three points from their opening two matches in the group, having beaten Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo before losing 3-0 away to Guinea-Bissau. With Tanzania already assured of a place at the 2027 finals as one of the tournament's co-hosts, the pressure is on the Super Eagles to take points from both legs.
Friday's home match kicks off the double-header in Uyo, with the return fixture on Tuesday, November 17 in Zanzibar.
What happens next
The team's media programme continues this week, with player interviews scheduled for Wednesday and Chelle's pre-match press conference on Thursday at the stadium's media centre. The remaining invited players are expected to complete the camp before Friday's match.
Credit: SportsNow, Complete Sports and The Sun reports of November 10–11, 2026.
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