Unity Cup: Musa returns as Chelle unveils 12 new faces for London showdown

By Olaolu Joseph

Super Eagles head coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, has submitted his list of invited players for the upcoming Unity Cup in London to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with several fresh faces making the cut.

Nigeria will compete in the tournament alongside Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Eagles will face the Black Stars in the opening match on May 28 at Brentford Stadium.

According to sources, the list includes fringe Super Eagles players who have confirmed their availability, with captain Ahmed Musa returning to the squad for the first time since the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.

Musa’s inclusion was confirmed by his club, Kano Pillars, where he has scored eight goals this season and remained a consistent presence following his permanent return before the season began.

Twelve new players are also expected to feature, as Chelle aims to use the tournament to evaluate talent from the CHAN team ahead of a friendly against Russia, which will feature more regulars.

The coach’s goal is to build a competitive squad in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers resuming in July.

Nigeria faces a difficult path to qualification and will need maximum points in their remaining fixtures, while hoping for favorable results in other group matches to secure a ticket to the 2026 World Cup.