Nigeria’s Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has released a 39-man squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later in March.

In what’s set to be Chelle’s first match in charge of the Super Eagles following his appointment in January, the Malian has opted for a 39-man provisional squad list, which will be trimmed to 23 players next week.

The list features familiar faces like Victor Osimhen, 2024 CAF Player of the Year Ademola Lookman, assistant captain William Troost-Ekong, and, surprisingly, captain Ahmed Musa, who returns to the squad for the first time since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Six players are in position to earn their first national team invitation, including three Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) stars: Papa Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes), Ifeanyi Emmanuel (Rangers International), and Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars).

The stakes are high, and the precedents are not so convincing for the Super Eagles who have failed to win their opening four games in Group C. Currently sitting fifth in a group where only the eventual leader secures qualification, the three-time African champions must find their way back to winning ways when they face Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, March 21, and host Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo four days later. Failure to do so will further strain their already slim hopes of qualifying for the World Cup.

Here’s the full Eagles squad:

Goalkeepers

• Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)

• Maduka Okoye (Udinese, Italy)

• Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars, Tanzania)

• Adeleye Adebayo (Enosis Neon Paralimni, Cyprus)

• Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars, Nigeria)

Defenders

• William Troost-Ekong (Al Khalood, Saudi Arabia)

• Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce, Turkey)

• Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos, Greece)

• Gabriel Osho (AJ Auxerre, France)

• Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England)

• Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)

• Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

• Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)

• Jordan Torunarigha (Gent, Belgium)

• Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)

Midfielders

• Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes, Nigeria)

• Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England)

• Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)

• Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA)

• Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy)

• Frank Onyeka (Augsburg, Germany)

• Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England)

• Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton, England)

• Anthony Dennis (Goztepe, Turkey)

• Christantus Uche (Getafe, Spain)

Forwards

• Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy)

• Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Turkey)

• Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Italy)

• Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough, England)

• Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)

• Moses Simon (Nantes, France)

• Sadiq Umar (Valencia, Spain)

• Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)

• Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)

• Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium)

• Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla, Spain)

• Paul Onuachu (Southampton, England)

• Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars, Nigeria)

• Akor Adams (Sevilla, Spain).