Eric Chelle's Super Eagles suffer AFCON 2027 blow

Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ preparations for their AFCON 2027 qualifiers this month have suffered a huge setback.

The three-time AFCON champions begin their campaign with a clash against Madagascar on September 25 before taking on Guinea-Bissau four days later. 

While they are the favourites for the two games, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle will have to adjust his plans, as he will be without his top star Victor Osimhen. 

Osimhen was included in Eric Chelle’s squad to play the two games, but the 27-year-old will not feature after missing Galatasaray’s 4-0 defeat to Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday evening. 

Although Osimhen’s participation was in doubt after picking up an injury in the clash against Istanbul Başakşehir, it was believed that the Nigerian would participate in the qualifiers if he played a part in the huge league clash.

However, with the Nigerian missing the Turkish champions’ clash against Trabzonspor, he is expected to say in Turkey and recuperate during this international break. 

Osimhen’s expected absence is a huge blow to Chelle and the Super Eagles, as he has a massive impact on the team. 

The Super Eagles have struggled in recent games Osimhen missed, especially the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The former Napoli man’s impact was felt in the games he played and missed during the World Cup qualifying campaign. 

Nigeria failed to win the first four games of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign after Osimhen missed all matches. 

However, they picked up their first win of the qualifying campaign against Rwanda in the fifth game, with Osimhen scoring both games. 

He was Nigeria’s leading goalscorer in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with Nigeria only failing to win one game in which Osimhen played more than 45 minutes in the qualifying campaign. 

In the other games he missed, the Super Eagles failed to win any of those matches, which eventually cost them a place at the 2026 World Cup. 

With the 27-year-old now set to miss the start of another qualifying campaign, Chelle will be worried about how Osimhen’s potential absence will affect the team. 

Although he has the likes of Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams and George Ilenikhena as options, none has proven they have what it takes to be Osimhen’s replacements. 

Nonetheless, the Super Eagles will still be expected to pick up six points from these two games, knowing that just one team qualifies from their qualifying group.