No Osimhen, no Lookman – Eric Chelle names 24-man experimental Super Eagles squad for Russia friendly

• Team captain Wilfred Ndidi, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, and dangerous winger Moses Simon will officially anchor the squad for the trip to Eastern Europe.

• The selection features highly unexpected maiden senior invitations for Switzerland-based defender Victory Akpe and Finland-based goalkeeper Samuel James.

• The international friendly match is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, exactly one week after Nigeria finishes its opening block of AFCON qualifiers.

Ahead of the international friendly against Russia's senior men's national team on Tuesday, 6th October at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, the manager has opted to give his heavily overworked superstars a break.

Instead, the responsibility of guiding a largely inexperienced group falls heavily on the shoulders of newly appointed captain Wilfred Ndidi, veteran winger Moses Simon, and reliable shot-stopper Stanley Nwabali. 

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They will be joined by trusted European-based regulars like Bright Osayi-Samuel, Raphael Onyedika, Akor Adams, and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Chelle is using this high-profile friendly window for its exact purpose: a ruthless scouting experiment to build long-term squad depth. 

The biggest talking point on the 24-man list is the inclusion of an incredible group of fresh faces entering the Super Eagles camp for the very first time.

The new European arrivals include Finland-based goalkeeper Samuel James, Switzerland-based defender Victory Akpe, and Czechia-based fullback Abdullahi Bewene. 

The midfield and attacking departments have also been completely injected with new blood, as uncapped prospects like Chibuzo Nwoko (Fulham), Stephen Michael (Denmark), Igor Wilfred (Norway), and Abubakar Umar (Portugal) land massive opportunities to prove they deserve to wear the heavy green-and-white jersey.

Perhaps the most refreshing part of Chelle's latest roster is his direct vote of confidence in the domestic Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). 

At a time when local players are often ignored for international windows, the manager has thrown a massive lifeline to homegrown talent.

Ikorodu City FC is the biggest winner of this selection, with both goalkeeper Michael Atata and midfielder Aderemi Adeoye earning dream call-ups to the senior national team. 

Alongside Enugu Rangers' defensive powerhouse Kenneth Igboke, these local league stars will fly out to battle 'The Boys' of Russia. 

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The training camp is about to become a warzone as these fringe players fight tooth and nail to secure their spots in Chelle's future tactical plans.

Goalkeepers: Michael Atata (Ikorodu City); Samuel James (SJK FC, Finland); Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)

Defenders: Kenneth Igboke (Enugu Rangers); Isaac James (Alverca FC, Portugal); Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford FC, England); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Victory Akpe (FC Basel, Switzerland); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham FC, England); Abdullahi Bewene (FC Banik Ostrava, Czechia)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany); Chibuzo Nwoko (Fulham FC, England); Stephen Michael (Vendsyssel FF, Denmark); Igor Wilfred (Kristiansund FC, Norway); Ridwan Abdulrasaq (Al Wasl, UAE); Suleiman Mubarak (Slavia Prague, Czechia); Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City);

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Akor Adams (Venezia FC, Italy); Peter Edokpolor (SL Benfica, Portugal); Abubakar Umar (FC Famalicao, Portugal); Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove, Czechia)