Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle has arrived back in Nigeria following a European tour where he met with key players ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Upon his return, Chelle visited the Flying Eagles’ training camp in Ikenne Remo to assess their preparations for the upcoming U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Nigeria’s U-20 head coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has invited 30 players to camp as they prepare for the tournament, which will be held in Côte d’Ivoire from April 26 to May 18.
The Flying Eagles, seven-time champions of the competition, have been drawn into a challenging Group B alongside Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa. The top four teams from the tournament will secure spots at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile this September.
Although Chelle’s role includes overseeing both the Flying Eagles and the CHAN Eagles, his primary focus remains on the senior national team’s qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
During his European tour, Chelle and his assistant, Hedi Taboubi, visited several Super Eagles players, including Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi in England, as well as Nantes winger Moses Simon in France. These meetings aimed to strengthen relationships with key squad members ahead of Nigeria’s crucial qualifiers.
The Super Eagles will face Rwanda in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in Kigali on March 21, before hosting Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo four days later. These fixtures are pivotal in Nigeria’s bid to secure a spot at the global tournament.
Following his return, Chelle is expected to attend multiple Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matches to scout for home-based talent. This aligns with the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) strategy to integrate more domestic players into the national team setup.
Nigeria last qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2018, booking their ticket to Russia with a game to spare. However, the Super Eagles failed to reach Qatar 2022 after falling short against Ghana in the final qualifying round. Chelle is now determined to ensure Nigeria makes a strong comeback on the world stage.
