Just when you thought the blows to the Super Eagles’ preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations can’t hit any harder, a concussive one hits, this time involving first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s availability. According to reports from South Africa, the Chippa United goalkeeper is suffering from an ankle and hand injury and might not recover in time for the commencement of the continental showpiece in Morocco on December 21.

First runners-up at the last AFCON, the expectations on the Super Eagles in their 22nd outing remain nothing short of winning the title, a pressure amplified by their failure to capitalise on a second chance at qualifying for the 2026 World Cup last month. In truth, Nwabali, one of the standouts of Nigeria’s run to the AFCON 2023 final in Côte d’Ivoire, hasn’t enjoyed much goodwill of late, largely due to his erratic tendencies. However, if Nigeria’s devastating defeat to DR Congo in November showed anything, it’s that the 29-year-old remains indispensable. He helped send the Eagles into penalties and made crucial saves in the shootout that should have counted for something. Sidelined from club action since the November internationals, the full extent of his injuries remains unclear, but if Chippa United coach Vusimuzi Vilakazi is to be believed, the likelihood of Nwabali being fit in time for the Super Eagles at AFCON is slim, if not non-existent.

This isn’t the only concern. When the Super Eagles begin their campaign against Tanzania at the Fez Stadium on December 23, they’ll do so without a key leader in captain William Troost-Ekong, who recently announced his retirement from international football. While Ekong’s technical output wasn’t the most convincing after AFCON 2023, the 32-year-old remained one of the squad’s core pillars and will be sorely missed in Morocco. Worse still, Benjamin Fredrick — the 20-year-old centre-back whose composure and defensive agility had effectively filled the void since breaking into the team in May — will also miss AFCON after sustaining a knee injury during training with Belgian club Dender. Additionally, doubts linger over Ola Aina’s availability, as the full-back is still recovering from the hamstring injury he picked up against South Africa in September.

Whatever Eric Chelle ultimately makes of this growing fitness headache remains to be seen, but another major disruption has emerged from an updated FIFA directive. The latest guideline from the global football governing body means African players will not be released to their national teams until December 15. For a team like the Super Eagles, whose players are largely contracted to European clubs, this will disrupt the initial preparation schedule. Originally, Nigeria planned to open camp in Cairo on December 10 before taking on the Pharaohs of Egypt in a preparatory friendly on December 14. Now, the opening of camp has been inevitably postponed by four days, and the friendly has been shifted to December 16. 

This condensed preparation window, coupled with the uncertainty surrounding key senior players and the fresh troubling reports that the gaffer is owed three months’ salary, hardly bodes well for the Super Eagles as they pursue a fourth AFCON title. But if anything, it offers an early glimpse into how their campaign will turn without an inflection point.