Osimhen, Ndidi missing, Uzoho called up for Nigeria’s world cup qualifiers

The Super Eagles will be without Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen and Leicester City midfield maestro for the team’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against the Harambe Stars of Zimbabwe and the Crocodiles of Lesotho.

Nigeria’s squad list for the November encounters was released late Thursday by the Nigeria Football Federation.

A snapshot of the list shows Nigeria are heading into the games with 23 players as they begin their quest for a place in the global football fiesta billed for the US, Mexico, and Canada.

Osimhen will miss the games due to an injury he sustained in Nigeria’s friendly match against Saudi Arabia. Ndidi will also not feature in the matches owing to injury concerns.

AC Milan’s new boy Samuel Chukwueze is another notable absentee from the list while under–fire goalkeeper Francis Uzoho made the cut.

Nigeria, three-time African champions, will face the Crocodiles of Lesotho on November 16 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo before locking horns with Zimbabwe on the 19th of the same month.

They are in Group C of the qualification series alongside South Africa, Rwanda, and Benin, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

FULL LIST OF INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC); Maduka Okoye (Udinese Calcio, Italy)

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff FC, Wales)

Midfielders: Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany).