Nigeria U23 head coach Eric Chelle has expanded his pool of foreign-based players ahead of the team’s opening 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against DR Congo in November.
Chelle, who also manages the senior Super Eagles, intends to call on several of the young talents who featured in the recent 3-3 friendly draw with Russia. Ten of those players are age-eligible for the Olympic Eagles and form the core of the squad being assembled for the two-legged second-round tie.
Sources close to the coach indicate that additional Europe-based players will be included in the final 25-man list. Brentford defender Benjamin Fredrick is viewed as the preferred captain, although his availability remains uncertain as he is also in contention for Super Eagles duty against Tanzania in the same international window.
The squad will not be exclusively foreign-based, with at least six players from the Nigeria Premier Football League expected to make the cut. This blend aims to provide both experience and domestic competition ahead of the high-stakes fixtures.
Nigeria will face DR Congo over two legs, with the first match scheduled for November 9, 2026, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the return leg set for November 17 on home soil.
The winners will advance to the third and final qualifying round for the 2027 U-23 AFCON in Egypt, which doubles as Africa’s pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
