The countdown to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) enters its final stretch this weekend, with Nigeria’s Super Eagles preparing to shut the door on club football and turn their full attention to continental duty, Soccernet.ng reports.
For most of Eric Chelle’s 28-man squad, the coming days will mark their final competitive appearances before reporting to Nigeria’s AFCON training camp in Cairo, Egypt, which opens on Monday, December 15.
A friendly against hosts Egypt follows on Tuesday, before the Super Eagles fly out to Fez, Morocco, where all their Group A matches will be staged.
Nigeria have been drawn alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania, with their opening fixture scheduled for December 23 against Tanzania, two days after the tournament curtain-raiser.
While some players will head into camp early with no club commitments left, others face one final weekend of high-intensity football across Europe and beyond.
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Who plays, who rests: The final club commitments before AFCON
Goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Amas Obasogie are expected to be among the earliest arrivals in Cairo.
Nwabali continues his recovery from injury with Chippa United currently on break, while Obasogie’s Singida Black Stars of Tanzania are also inactive until the new year.
Defender Chidozie Awaziem has already wrapped up his club duties after featuring in Nantes’ heavy 4–1 defeat at Angers on Friday night. Midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro should also report early after impressing despite Pisa’s narrow loss to Lecce.
Saturday, however, is packed with Super Eagles involvement. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is set for Lazio’s Serie A trip to Parma, while Ademola Lookman aims to finish strongly with Atalanta against Cagliari in Bergamo. In Turkey, Victor Osimhen will look to end the year with another statement performance for Galatasaray away to Antalyaspor.
Elsewhere, surprise call-up Usman Mohammed features for Ironi Tiberias in Israel, Igoh Ogbu anchors Slavia Prague’s defence against Jablonec, and Semi Ajayi hopes to come through Hull City’s Championship clash with Millwall unscathed.
In England, Fulham’s Nigerian trio of Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze are expected to start against Burnley, while Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ryan Alebiosu and Tochukwu Nnadi are all in action across England and Belgium.
Sunday sees Wilfred Ndidi face Paul Onuachu in a heavyweight Turkish clash between Besiktas and Trabzonspor. Raphael Onyedika will sign off after Club Brugge’s game against Dender.
Paris FC’s Moses Simon, Panathinaikos striker Cyriel Dessers, and Sevilla’s duo of Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke will all complete their club obligations.
Late arrivals include Francis Uzoho, who is likely to be on league duty for Omonia on Monday night. Porto are also reportedly in talks with the NFF over delaying Zaidu Sanusi’s release until December 18.
By midweek, the Super Eagles’ focus will be singular: the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Full List: Super Eagles 28-man Squad for AFCON 2025
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)
Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England)
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel)
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961 (Croatia)