Osimhen, Chukwueze absent as Nigeria Battle Lesotho in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Nigeria faces Lesotho for the chance to fly Africa’s flag in the 2026 World Cup that will be hosted in three countries (USA, Canada, and Mexico) but the team will be without star striker Victor Osimhen and AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze for the match against Lesotho due to injury.
Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, invited 23 players to the national team for the qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe with notable absentees like injured star striker Osimhen, Chukwueze missing from the Squad. The squad is still filled with stars like in-form Leverkusen man Boniface, Iwobi, and captain Kenneth Omeruo amongst others.
Also, British-born Nathan Tella was called up to the National team for the first time.
The Eagles will lock horns with the Crocodiles of Lesotho in their first match of the group that includes South Africa, Benin Republic, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. The qualifier stage of the World Cup is set to run from November 2023 to October 2025 that will then determine the winner and team eligible from each qualifying group to fly their continent’s flag in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
The Super Eagles were a notable absentee in the last Fifa World Cup that was played in Qatar last year between November 2022 to December 2022 and are committed to doing their best to ensure a solid start to earning a Ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, is set to host the Group C 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Lesotho. The matchday one clash is billed for Thursday, November 16, 2023, from 5 pm Nigerian time, and then later travel to Rwanda to face Zimbabwe on matchday 2 on Sunday, November 19, 2023. Both games are set to be aired on the Supersports channels on DStv.
