Super Eagles: 6 Nigeria players who could make their AFCON qualifying debut

Eric Chelle’s 24-man Super Eagles squad contains six players who could reach a new international milestone when Nigeria begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, Afrik-Foot reports.

The first match is at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 25, with kick-off set for 4pm GMT, before Nigeria travel for the September 29 meeting with Guinea-Bissau.

Arthur Okonkwo, Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu have already played for the Super Eagles, while Isaac James, George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor are still waiting for their senior debuts.

However, none has played an AFCON qualifying match for Nigeria.

That makes the September games different from the friendlies and invitational matches that introduced some of them to international football.

An AFCON qualifier carries points and affects Nigeria’s route to the 2027 finals. Nigeria are in Group L with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-hosts Tanzania. Because Tanzania are automatically qualified, only the highest-ranked team apart from Tanzania will secure the group’s remaining qualification place.

Here are the six players from the main squad who could cross that competitive line.

Arthur Okonkwo: two caps, zero AFCON qualifiers

Okonkwo has already made his Super Eagles debut.

The Charlton Athletic goalkeeper earned his first Nigeria cap during the 2026 Unity Cup, starting the 2-0 win over Zimbabwe at The Valley on May 26. He then started the 3-0 final victory over Jamaica four days later, keeping clean sheets in both matches.

He was an unused substitute in Nigeria’s June friendlies against Poland and Portugal, leaving him with two senior caps before the September qualifiers.

His next appearance could therefore take him into a completely different part of his international career.

Okonkwo would be making his first competitive appearance for Nigeria and his first AFCON qualifying appearance if Chelle selects him against Madagascar or Guinea-Bissau.

Isaac James: a senior Super Eagles debut could arrive in an AFCON qualifier

James has never played for Nigeria’s senior team.

The 22-year-old Alverca defender received his first Super Eagles call-up for the September qualifiers after starting all six of the club’s opening Primeira Liga matches.

He played 512 minutes in those six games and supplied two assists, with appearances against Porto, Estrela da Amadora, Sporting CP, Santa Clara, Braga and Nacional.

Chelle is looking at James as another option on the left side after Zaidu Sanusi’s injury.

A debut against Madagascar would therefore create two milestones in one night: James’ first senior Nigeria appearance and his first AFCON qualifying appearance.

George Ilenikhena: Champions League experience, but no senior Nigeria cap

Ilenikhena arrives with a different kind of experience.

The Lagos-born forward has already played in the Champions League and scored against Barcelona for Monaco and Antwerp.

The youngster made 51 appearances for the French club, scoring 10 goals, before joining Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad in February 2026.

His senior international career, however, is still waiting to start.

Ilenikhena previously represented France at youth level but has not made a senior appearance for the French national team. He has now been called into Chelle’s Super Eagles squad for the first time.

If he plays against Madagascar or Guinea-Bissau, the 20-year-old could go straight from European club experience to his first senior Nigeria cap in an official AFCON qualifier.

Emmanuel Fernandez: three caps, but no competitive AFCON appearance

Fernandez has already experienced the Super Eagles dressing room and played against international opposition.

The Rangers centre-back made his Nigeria debut in the 2-1 friendly win over Iran in Antalya on March 27. He then scored in the 2-2 draw with Jordan four days later.

He also featured in Nigeria’s June friendly against Poland, taking his senior tally to three appearances.

The 24-year-old’s international record therefore needs to be separated from his AFCON record. He has senior experience, but zero AFCON qualifying appearances.

A start against Madagascar would give Fernandez his first taste of competitive football with Nigeria after three friendly appearances.

Chibuike Nwaiwu: three Super Eagles caps from friendlies and the Unity Cup

Nwaiwu received a late call-up for the March friendlies after Calvin Bassey withdrew through injury. He made his senior debut in Nigeria’s 2-1 win over Iran.

The Trabzonspor defender then featured in both of Nigeria’s 2026 Unity Cup matches against Zimbabwe and Jamaica.

That gives Nwaiwu three senior caps, all from friendly or invitational football, with no AFCON qualifying appearance. The September qualifiers could therefore take the 22-year-old from a promising international introduction into his first official qualification campaign.

Moses Usor: from an unused opportunity to a potential competitive debut

Usor’s case needs a careful explanation because his first Nigeria opportunity came before this September squad.

The LASK forward was placed on standby for the 2026 Unity Cup and was later invited, but an injury prevented him from joining the team and making his debut.

His chance has now returned after a strong start to the season in Austria.

Usor scored and assisted as LASK overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit to beat Celtic 5-1 and reach the Champions League league phase. He has also been among LASK’s attacking contributors at the start of the domestic season.

Usor has zero senior Nigeria caps and zero AFCON qualifying appearances, meaning a substitute appearance or start against Madagascar or Guinea-Bissau would give him both milestones.

Nigeria’s opening two games against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau could therefore give six players a new competitive chapter under Eric Chelle as the Super Eagles begin their road towards AFCON 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.