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WCQ: Chelle Drops Musa, Iheanacho, Lists 23 For Rwanda, Zimbabwe

Musa was one of the surprise inclusions in the Chelle’s 39-player provisional list for the World Cup Qualifiers with fans questioning his call to the team after almost one year of absence. 

By Emmanuel Egobiambu
Updated March 11, 2025
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Super Eagles
FILE: Nigeria’s players pose ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2023 semi-final football match between Nigeria and South Africa at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP)

 

Skipper Ahmed Musa, and forward Kelechi Iheanacho were among notable absentees as Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle listed his final 23-man squad for the crunch 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Musa was one of the surprise inclusions in Chelle’s 39-player provisional list for the World Cup Qualifiers with fans questioning his call to the team after almost one year of absence.

But in the final list for the games billed for next week, the Malian gaffer who will be leading the Super Eagles out for the first time yanked off the Kano Pillars man and Iheanacho of Middlesbrough.

Musa, Iwobi, Ighalo Nominated For CAF Award
File photo: Ahmed Musa celebrates after scoring Nigeria’s opener during the game. His strike also represents Nigeria’s first goal at Russia in 2018. Mark RALSTON / AFP

 

Although Musa was part of the Super Eagles side that went to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire early last, he did not play a minute. Iheanacho also featured in that silver medal-winning team.

Nigeria's forward Kelechi Iheanacho (R) kicks the ball past Egypt's defender Ahmed Hegazi during the Group D Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 football match between Nigeria and Egypt at Stade Roumde Adjia in Garoua on January 11, 2022. Daniel BELOUMOU OLOMO / AFP
Nigeria’s forward Kelechi Iheanacho (R) kicks the ball past Egypt’s defender Ahmed Hegazi during the Group D Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 football match between Nigeria and Egypt at Stade Roumde Adjia in Garoua on January 11, 2022. Daniel BELOUMOU OLOMO / AFP

 

In the final squad released on Tuesday, Chelle listed regulars like Alex Iwobi, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, Simon Moses, and Stanley Nwabali.

Others include Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, and Wilfred Ndidi among others. Nathan Tella and Joe Aribo are back in the squad after a long time out.

The coach equally handed a maiden call-up to Tolu Arokodare, Igoh Ogbu, and Papa Mustapha for the games.

Nigeria will play Rwanda on March 21 in Kigali before returning home to battle with the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium four days later.

READ ALSO: Ahmed Musa Returns As Super Eagles Name Team For World Cup Qualifiers

Chelle is a former Mali coach. Photo: Channels TV/Sodiq Adelakun.

 

The games will be the acid test for Chelle who took over the reins in January. He faces a herculean task reviving Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup after a poor start to the series. The 1980 AFCON champions have managed just a miserable three points – all draws – in four games since the start of the qualification race. They are four points behind the leaders of the Group C African qualifiers for the World Cup – Rwanda.

FULL LIST OF PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Below is the list of players invited for the Super Eagles games against Rwanda and Zimbabwe:

Defenders

Nigeria's defender #5 William Troost-Ekong (C) celebrates after the victory at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 quarter-final football match between Nigeria and Angola at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on February 2, 2024.
Nigeria’s defender #5 William Troost-Ekong (C) celebrates after the victory at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 quarter-final football match between Nigeria and Angola at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on February 2, 2024. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP)

 

William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)

Midfielders

Equatorial Guinea's midfielder #7 Jose Machin fights for the ball with Nigeria's midfielder #17 Alex Iwobi during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group A football match between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on January 14, 2024
Equatorial Guinea’s midfielder #7 Jose Machin fights for the ball with Nigeria’s midfielder #17 Alex Iwobi during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group A football match between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on January 14, 2024. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP)

 

Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)

Forwards

Nigeria’s forward #18 Ademola Lookman (L) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with Nigeria’s forward #9 Victor Osimhen during the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 round of 16 football match between Nigeria and Cameroon at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on January 27, 2024. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

 

Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Valencia FC, Spain); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium)

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