Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has named 12 debutants in Nigeria’s 27-man squad for the 2026 Unity Cup mini-tournament in London, fulfilling his earlier promise to scout extensively across the Nigeria Premier Football League and among foreign-based players of Nigerian descent, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Back in April, Chelle revealed plans to use the Unity Cup as an experimental platform to assess new talents while reserving his established stars for June’s high-profile friendlies against Poland and Portugal.
“The Unity Cup provides a platform to assess new players,” Chelle had said.
“I will comb Europe and invite new players of Nigerian descent, alongside those who were previously called up but nevr got the chance to feature.
“Top players from the Nigeria Premier Football League will also be considered, as I will be watching a number of domestic league games from now until the end of the season.”
