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Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho has made a surprise return to the Super Eagles, while Maduka Okoye, who has been deputizing for first-choice keeper Stanley Nwabali, was omitted from Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 squad list.

Also recalled to the team is Paul Onuachu, who has been scoring freely for his Turkish club, Trabzonspor.

The long-awaited squad list was released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on its verified X handle on Thursday night.

In the final list, coach Eric Chelle named three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and nine forwards for the tournament scheduled for December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.

The 28-player squad blends familiar stars with fresh faces as the Super Eagles gear up for the competition, which kicks off on December 21.

Victor Boniface, Tolu Arokodare, and Kelechi Iheanacho have also been omitted from the squad, while Ebenezer Akinsanmiro received his first call-up.

See the full team list below:

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); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium)

Victor Osimhen-inspired Nigeria are hurting after another unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign, and the quickest route to recovery would be winning the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Since 1990, the Super Eagles have never until this year failed twice in a row to secure a place at the global showpiece.

After finishing runners-up to table toppers and automatic qualifiers South Africa in Group C, Nigeria were given a second chance as one of the best four second-placed nations.

But after walloping Gabon 4-1 in a play-offs semi-final in Morocco with star striker Osimhen scoring twice, they lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo and were eliminated.

READ ALSO: World Record Winning Streak Sets Up Morocco For AFCON Challenge

“Our players are suffering, and we must find a cure. Instead of hurting, we must hurt our opponents,” Ivory Coast-born head coach Eric Chelle told reporters.

Turkey-based Osimhen said, “Nigerians keep telling us we are a golden generation. But we have now failed twice in succession to qualify for the World Cup.

“If we are that good, how come we keep failing? Now we have to return to Morocco and win the Cup of Nations.

“Our squad is packed with great Nigerians playing for some of the best clubs in Europe. The time has come to translate that greatness into trophies.”

Nigeria are in Group C with Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda, and as top seeds will enjoy the advantage of playing all their first round matches in northern city Fes.

The Super Eagles and the Carthage Eagles are ranked much higher than the east African nations, and their December 27 clash should decide who finishes first.

It will be the seventh meeting between two former champions in the premier African football competition. Nigeria have won three, lost one, and two were drawn.

“Tunisia have had an excellent year,” says Chelle, referring to a team that held record five-time world champions Brazil in a friendly in France last month.

‘Enormous pressure’ 

“Uganda are improving consistently under (Belgian coach) Paul Put and many of the Tanzanians play in one of the strongest domestic leagues in Africa.

“My squad and I are under enormous pressure because there are about 230 million Nigerians — which means 230 million national coaches.

“I have avoided social media for some time to dodge the noise and concentrate on working with my technical staff.”

Chelle took Mali to the 2024 AFCON. They conceded late in regular time and again late in extra time to finish unlucky 2-1 quarter-final losers to hosts and eventual champions Ivory Coast.

The 48-year-old tactician says one of his biggest challenges in Morocco will be picking his strike force from an array of top-class strikers.

Apart from Osimhen, he can call on 2024 African player of the year Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, Samuel Chukwueze, Tolu Arokodare, Moses Simon, Adams Akor and Chidera Ejuke.

Tunisia coach and former defender Samy Trabelsi calls Nigeria a “continental powerhouse with a vast pool of talent playing for top European clubs”.

But he is not dismissing the hopes of his own team, saying “anything is possible at an AFCON. If we set our minds to it, we can achieve a lot. My target is at least a semi-finals place.”

Tunisia had a poor AFCON qualifying campaign, losing at home to both Comoros and Gambia. They did much better to reach the 2026 World Cup, winning nine games, drawing the other, and keeping 10 clean sheets.

Uganda return to the African tournament afer missing the last two editions and Put has promised supporters a team that will “not back down when we play stronger opponents”.

Tanzania made a late change of coaches, replacing local Hemed Suleiman with Argentine Miguel Gamondi, who doubles as the tactician of local club Singida Black Stars.

Good form with French Ligue 1 outfit Le Havre led to a recall for captain and striker Mbwana Samatta as Taifa Stars seek a first AFCON victory after three winless campaigns.

Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli scored stunning goals as Arsenal outclassed Club Brugge 3-0 on Wednesday to make it six Champions League wins out of six, virtually guaranteeing a place in the Champions League last 16.

Former Chelsea winger Madueke unleashed a thunderbolt from distance to give the Gunners a deserved first-half lead and headed in from point-blank range at the start of the second half.

Martinelli then put the result beyond doubt, cutting in from the left and hitting a curling right-footed effort home from just outside the box.

Injury-hit Arsenal maintained their 100 percent record in the Champions League this season and have conceded just one goal so far.

The Gunners had already secured their place in the knockout phase before their trip to Belgium but now appear certain to secure a top-eight spot.

READ ALSO: Man City Beat Madrid In Champions League As Pressure Mounts On Alonso

That would mean direct entry into the last 16, avoiding the need for a risky play-off.

Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders suffered their first defeat since August at the weekend, losing 2-1 at Aston Villa.

Ivan Leko, back at Brugge for a second spell as manager, was overseeing his first match after the Belgian club sacked Nicky Hayen on Monday.

Arteta, dealing with an injury crisis, made five changes to the side that lost to Villa, with Christian Norgaard starting at centre back and Viktor Gyokeres back in the starting line-up for the first time since November 1.

The visitors started brightly and were a whisker away from taking the lead when Gunners defender Piero Hincapie turned a wayward Myles Lewis-Skelly shot against the post midway through the first half.

But minutes later Arsenal were ahead after Madueke’s breathtaking strike. The winger picked the ball up just inside the Brugge half, on the right of the Gunners’ attack.

He cut in, finding an extra gear, and unleashed an unstoppable left-footed shot past Dani van den Heuvel, which went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Brugge’s attacks were sporadic but Carlos Forbs, who scored twice in his team’s 3-3 draw with Barcelona last month, was an occasional menace on the right.

As the clock ticked towards half-time, Brugge suddenly looked more dangerous, with Aleksandar Stankovic twice going close and Christos Tzolis also testing David Raya.

But any sense of momentum that Brugge might have built up vanished in the opening moments of the second period when Madueke, playing on the right in place of Bukayo Saka, was on hand to nod home Martin Zubimendi’s cross.

Martinelli, largely a bit-part player for Arsenal this season, then joined the party in the 56th minute as the visitors threatened to overwhelm their opponents.

Manchester City came from behind to beat Real Madrid 2-1 on Wednesday in the Champions League and leave Xabi Alonso’s position as coach of the Spanish giants in grave danger.

Without injured superstar Kylian Mbappe, Madrid took the lead through Rodrygo but Nico O’Reilly and an Erling Haaland penalty secured Pep Guardiola’s City the three points.

Spanish media reported in the lead-up to the game that a defeat would seal Alonso’s fate as Madrid coach, although his team’s performance was creditable, despite the eventual outcome at a frustrated Bernabeu stadium.

The record 15-time Champions League winners have now won just two of their last eight matches across all competitions, and face a battle for a place in the top eight of the league phase table.

Alonso was forced to leave his team’s top scorer Mbappe on the bench, saying it would have been “a risk” to use him amid knee discomfort, and starting 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia instead.

READ ALSO: Arsenal Thrash Club Brugge To Stay Perfect In Champions League

Madrid knocked out City in last season’s Champions League play-off round in February, but Mbappe scored four of their goals in the 6-3 aggregate win.

This was the 15th meeting between these sides, in what has become a modern Champions League classic, and it started at lightning speed, with Vinicius Junior heavily involved in the opening exchanges.

Madrid’s Brazilian forward was felled by Matheus Nunes with the referee pointing to the spot, but a VAR review showed the contact was outside the area.

Fede Valverde’s ferocious free-kick was deflected wide by O’Reilly, before Vinicius dinked just wide of goal after Rodrygo found him with a perfect low cross which coaxed City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma off his line.

It was deserved when the hosts took the lead in the 28th minute, with Rodrygo finishing a move started by Alvaro Carreras at the other end of the pitch.

Madrid broke forward and Jude Bellingham fed the Brazilian, who finished early and low, across Donnarumma and into the far corner.

It was his first goal in 33 games, ending a barren and frustrating spell for Rodrygo, and also his fifth against City. In 2022 his stunning late brace helped Madrid defeat Guardiola’s side in the semi-finals.

Madrid’s opening half-hour was close to perfect, but City pulled level out of the blue after a mistake from Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

The stopper could not hold on to Josko Gvardiol’s header and O’Reilly gratefully tapped home the loose ball in the 35th minute.

 Ice-cold Haaland

Guardiola was not pleased with his team’s first half display but they went in ahead after Antonio Rudiger held Haaland in the back and City were awarded a penalty.

The Norwegian striker, who will face Mbappe’s France at the World Cup next summer, sent Courtois the wrong way from the spot.

Courtois made amends for his earlier error with a fine double save to thwart Haaland and Rayan Cherki before the break, and Jeremy Doku after it.

England international Bellingham might have levelled for Madrid but chipped over after Rodrygo cleverly slipped him in.

Alonso brought on Arda Guler for Garcia and shifted Bellingham into a central attacking role, of the kind he enjoyed under Carlo Ancelotti in his spectacular first season with Madrid.

The Basque coach also turned to youngster Endrick, whom he has hardly utilised at all since arriving, and the 19-year-old headed inches over the crossbar with five minutes to go.

Madrid were short of ideas in the second half and may look to another coach for new ones in the coming days.

RB Leipzig on Wednesday named Tatjana Haenni as the club’s new chief executive, making her the first woman club boss in German football history.

The 59-year-old Swiss will take over on January 1 and will head Leipzig’s management board.

A former footballer, Haenni made 23 appearances for the Swiss national team. Since retiring, she has taken up sports administration roles at UEFA, FIFA and the Swiss Football Association (SFV).

“I can’t wait to get started in January and to get to know the club on a deeper level,” Haenni said in a statement released Wednesday.

“Together, we want to continue on what is already a successful path, and achieve our ambitious goals.”

READ ALSO: RB Leipzig Fire Coach Rose With Top-Four In Doubt

Former CEO and current Red Bull executive Oliver Mintzlaff praised Haenni’s “specialist knowledge, leadership and strategic thinking”, adding she would “successfully shape the club’s next stages of development”.

Founded in 2009 by taking over a club in Germany’s fifth tier, RB Leipzig rose through the ranks and was first promoted to the top flight in 2016.

Since then, the club have won two German Cups and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2020.

Real Madrid named Kylian Mbappe in their squad to face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday amid doubts over his fitness.

The French superstar missed training on Tuesday, with Madrid telling AFP it was because of a broken finger but also other discomfort.

Spanish media have reported Madrid coach Xabi Alonso is set for the sack if his team lose against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Los Blancos have won just two of their last seven matches across all competitions.

Mbappe is the team’s top scorer this season with 25 goals in 21 games across all competitions.