Ola Aina in real danger of missing Super Eagles AFCON campaign

Nottingham Forest and Super Eagles star Ola Aina has been ruled out of action until the end of the year. 

The Nigeria international pulled up with a hamstring problem just ten minutes into the World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Bloemfontein, and subsequent scans have confirmed a lengthy absence.

It is a cruel twist for Aina, who had been ever-present in the Premier League this season and one of Forest’s most reliable performers. Forest have responded by excluding the defender from their submitted Premier League squad, paving the way for Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi to be reinstated domestically after missing out on the Europa League list.

Could Ola Aina be absent from AFCON 2025?

The injury carries ramifications beyond the City Ground. Nigeria still have crucial World Cup qualifiers in October against Lesotho and Benin, and there is an international friendly against Venezuela pencilled in for November in the United States. Aina’s absence already rules him out of those fixtures.

More worryingly, his recovery timeline runs close to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. 

The Super Eagles open their campaign on December 23 against Tanzania, before group games with Tunisia and Uganda later that month. 

Whether head coach Eric Chelle risks including a half-fit Aina in his 23-man squad remains to be seen. What is certain is that both Forest and Nigeria face a difficult stretch without one of their most dependable players.