At least 10 players have arrived at the Super Eagles camp as preparations commence for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The camp officially opened on Sunday at the Renaissance Hotels in Cairo, with all coaches and backroom staff already present. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was the first player to arrive, landing shortly after 2 a.m. local time to signal the start of full squad assembly.
Uzoho, named among the three goalkeepers in head coach Eric Chelle’s 28-man squad, returns to the national team after more than a year away. Stanley Nwabali arrived next, followed by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, bringing the number to four.
Six additional players — Amas Obasogie, Semi Ajayi, Ademola Lookman, Igho Ogbu, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Tochukwu Nnadi — later joined the camp, taking the total to ten. More players are expected in the coming hours.
NAN also reports that the three-time African champions will hold their first training session later today. As part of their build-up, the Super Eagles are scheduled to face Egypt in a friendly on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.
Nigeria heads into the 2025 AFCON aiming to improve on their runners-up finish at the last edition, where they lost 2–1 to hosts Ivory Coast in the final. The team is chasing a fourth continental title, having previously lifted the trophy in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
The 2025 AFCON will take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
Meanwhile, first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali remains a doubt for the tournament after suffering ankle and hand injuries. According to Supersport.com, quoting Chippa United head coach Vusimuzi Vilakazi, the goalkeeper may require surgery, which could rule him out of the competition.
“I doubt it, looking at the state of his injury, I don’t think he will make it,” Vilakazi said, while noting that Nwabali remains hopeful of a quick recovery. “It’s an ankle injury, and the hand also needs an operation. He has been playing with it for a while and aggravated it while in Morocco.”
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