Eric Chelle Makes Late Changes to Squad Ahead of World Cup Qualifiers

October 5, 2025
By Tobi Akinnubi

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has made two late adjustments to his 23-man squad for Nigeria’s final 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Benin Republic.

The changes come after injuries sidelined striker Cyriel Dessers and defender Bright Osayi-Samuel. In their place, Chelle has called up right-back Zaidu Sanusi and forward Uche Christantus.

The original squad list was unveiled on Friday, but the latest developments forced the technical crew to make swift replacements ahead of the crucial fixtures.

Nigeria will travel to Maseru to face Lesotho on October 10, before returning home to host Benin Republic on October 14.

Chelle will be targeting maximum points from both encounters as the Super Eagles push to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria’s qualification hopes were recently boosted after FIFA sanctioned South Africa for fielding an ineligible player, awarding Lesotho a 3–0 victory — a decision that reshaped the Group standings in favour of the Super Eagles.