Nigeria’s Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has confirmed that several established senior players will sit out the upcoming Unity Cup in London this May, as the tournament doubles as a platform to evaluate emerging talents.
Top stars including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey, and Wilfred Ndidi are among those not expected to feature in the invitational four-nation competition.
Chelle explained that the Unity Cup will be used to assess new and fringe players, with a strong focus on home-based talents from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Nigerians plying their trade in Europe who are yet to earn regular caps.
“The Unity Cup provides a platform to assess new players,” Chelle said.
“I will comb Europe and invite new players of Nigerian descent, alongside those who were previously called up but never got the chance to feature.”
He added that he will closely monitor domestic league matches in the coming weeks to identify standout performers from the NPFL.
“Top players from the Nigeria Premier Football League will also be considered as I will be watching a number of domestic league games from now until the end of the season,” the Franco-Malian tactician stated.
The decision signals Chelle’s intention to continue reshaping the Super Eagles squad, giving younger and domestic-based players a valuable chance to impress on the international stage ahead of bigger assignments.
Nigeria, as defending champions of the Unity Cup, are set to compete in the 2026 edition in London against opponents including India, Jamaica, and Zimbabwe at
The Valley stadium. The tournament is scheduled for late May.
