Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile have been dealt a blow following the withdrawal of key overseas-based players.
French club Stade Reims and Germany’s Hoffenheim have refused to release their Nigerian players for the tournament, which does not fall under FIFA’s official calendar, allowing clubs to withhold players from international duty.
As a result, Hoffenheim duo Emmanuel Chukwu and Precious Benjamin will miss the competition, while Stade Reims striker Ibrahim Hafiz has also been ruled out. All three are regarded as top prospects for the Flying Eagles.
Head coach Aliyu Zubairu has had to reshuffle his squad, naming a final 21-man list without several key foreign-based stars. Enyimba winger Clinton Jephta, along with Bidemi Amole and Divine Oliseh—who featured at the U-20 WAFU B qualifiers in Togo—were also omitted.
Captain Daniel Bameyi leads the squad, which includes over 10 players who took part in recent training camps and friendly matches. New additions are Israel Ayuma, Ebenezer Harcourt, Charles Agada, Auwal Ibrahim, Kparobo Arierhi, Tahir Maigana, and Odinaka Okoro. Fullback Adamu Maigari misses out due to a knee injury.
The squad departed Abuja for Chile on Sunday night. Norway-based midfielder Daniel Daga is expected to join them ahead of their opening match.
The Flying Eagles, who have twice reached the final (1989 and 2005), will be looking to win their first-ever FIFA U-20 World Cup. At the last edition in Argentina in 2023, Nigeria were knocked out by South Korea in the quarter-finals.
The 2025 U-20 World Cup kicks off on September 27 and will run until October 20 in Chile.
