The Super Eagles of Nigeria are preparing for the first international break of 2026 after contrasting experiences towards the end of 2025.
Nigeria had failed to qualify for the FIFA Inter-confederation World Cup playoffs after losing to DR Congo on penalties in November, but went on to claim third place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Fans and punters can recollect that Eric Chelle’s side was the best despite not being the winner.
The three-time AFCON winners have put the World Cup miss behind them and now head into the March international window for friendlies that would help test new players and improve the team ahead of AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
Eric Chelle releases 23-man list for March
The Super Eagles are billed to face Iran and Jordan, who have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in March as part of a four-nation invitational tournament being held in Antalya, Turkey.
In preparation for that, Chelle has named a 23-man squad for the March international window, but star striker Victor Osimhen who suffered a fractured arm in Galatasaray’s defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League has been left out.
Team captain Wilfred Ndidi, Fulham’s poster boy Alex Iwobi, and in-form forward Ademola Lookman headline the list, which also includes Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defender Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, and attacking outlets such as Simon Moses, Childera Ejuke, Samuel Chukwueze, Akor Adams, and Paul Onuachu.
The matches were originally scheduled for Amman, Jordan, but have now been moved to Antalya, Turkey, following the outbreak of military conflict in the Middle East.
The Super Eagles will face Iran’s senior men’s team on Friday, March 27 before taking on Jordan on Tuesday, March 31.
The Franco-Malian coach has handed first-time call-ups to Glasgow Rangers defender Emmanuel Oluwasegun Fernandez, Hamburger SV’s Philip Otele, and Collins Yira Sor of Belgium’s KRC Genk.
Greece-based goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo also returns to the team.
The squad mixes experience with fresh talent, but the omission of Nigeria’s most assured goal outlet in recent years, Galatasaray forward Osimhen, will dominate betting discussions ahead of the international friendly in Antalya.
What does Osimhen’s absence mean for Super Eagles?
Victor Osimhen in 52 games has 35 goals for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, only two shy of the all-time leading goalscorer Rashid Yekini.
The former CAF Player of the Year made his senior national team debut at 18 years, 5 months, and 3 days old in a friendly against the Togolese national team in June 2017.
Osimhen would go on to make a return in November 2018 after a long time out due to instability at club level.
Since becoming a mainstay in the team in 2018, as a second choice to the experienced Odion Ighalo.
He would, however, go on to have his own opportunity, starting to lead the line in September 2019 and eventually scoring his first goal in the game against Ukraine.
Since talking over the mantle, he has scored 35 goals in 46 games.
From September 2019 till March 2026, Nigeria has played 75 games, scoring 116 goals, and Osimhen has had a hand in 35 of them.
Going into statistics, he has contributed over 30% of the Super Eagles’ goals since 2019.
Super Eagles betting trends without Osimhen
- In the last two years, Nigeria played 11 games without Osimhen and scored 11 goals.
- The Super Eagles average 1 goal per game without Osimhen.
- Nigeria have won only 5 games without Osimhen in the last two years (3 wins in 90 and 2 via penalties)
- The Super Eagles have suffered defeats three times the the eleven games
- There have been 3 official draws recorded across 90 minutes but if draws that included oenkaty
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