Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle has shed light on his decision to omit some big names from the squad for the upcoming friendlies this month.
Chelle recently named a 26-man squad for the four-nation tournament, which will see the Super Eagles compete against Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The list includes a mix of foreign-based professionals and several standout players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
However, some notable absentees raised eyebrows—Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, and Alex Iwobi were not included in the squad.
Instead, the list features Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Junior Nduka, Sodiq Ismaila, Waliu Ojetoye.
Speaking through the NFF, Chelle explained that the Unity Cup is not only about competition but also an opportunity to evaluate fresh faces and test new combinations.
“We’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles.
“It will help us strengthen our squad before the matches in September and October.”
The coach emphasized that the mini-tournament provides a low-stakes but competitive environment to assess squad depth and tactical flexibility, especially with critical fixtures for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 AFCON on the horizon.
The Unity Cup will be held at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, West London, a 17,250-capacity venue.
The tournament kicks off on Tuesday, May 27, with Trinidad & Tobago taking on Jamaica in the opening semi-final.
On Wednesday, May 28, Nigeria will reignite their long-standing rivalry with Ghana in the second semi-final, marking the 75th anniversary of the fixture.
The third-place match and final will both be played on Saturday, May 31. For Chelle, the tournament is as much about building a competitive team for the future as it is about national pride.
