Nigeria Super Eagles issue 13 new senior player call-ups

Nigeria Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has issued first-time senior call-ups to 13 players as he expands the national team's roster. The new selections, primarily from clubs in Europe and the Middle East, are being utilized across two different squads: one for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, and another for an upcoming international friendly against Russia on October 6 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.

Among the new additions is 19-year-old FC Basel centre-back Victory Akpe. The 1.95m defender, who previously played in Lithuania and Hungary, has earned his first invitation following strong performances in Switzerland. Other notable debutants include 22-year-old Alverca defender Isaac James and 20-year-old SJK goalkeeper Samuel James. The coach is using the friendly against Russia as a specific opportunity to assess younger talent for the senior set-up.