Super Eagles Draft Awoniyi Into AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Squad, Osimhen Out Injured

Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has announced a significant roster change for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with Taiwo Awoniyi stepping in for the sidelined Victor Osimhen. This update was officially communicated via the Nigeria Super Eagles’ X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, confirming Awoniyi’s inclusion for the pivotal matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

The tweet from the national team’s account explicitly stated, “Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi replaces Victor Osimhen in Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Welcome back, Taiwo.” Awoniyi, who is 29 years old and reportedly plies his trade at newly promoted English club Coventry City after a reported £9 million transfer from Nottingham Forest, is now set to bolster the senior men’s team.

Victor Osimhen's withdrawal from the squad is due to a right adductor muscle strain, with his recovery process taking longer than anticipated. PUNCH Online had previously reported on Saturday that Osimhen would miss both qualifier fixtures. Although the Galatasaray striker was initially included in Eric Chelle’s squad for the international window, with hopes he would regain full fitness in time, his return was further delayed. He was unavailable for Galatasaray’s Süper Lig clash against Trabzonspor on September 19, a match that club and national team officials had viewed as a crucial fitness assessment.

Ahead of these fixtures, Coach Eric Chelle had on Thursday unveiled distinct squads for Nigeria’s AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, as well as a subsequent international friendly against Russia. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) released these squad lists, detailing the Super Eagles’ schedule: they are slated to face Madagascar on September 25, followed by Guinea-Bissau on September 29, and then an international friendly against Russia on October 6, 2026.