With Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze currently sidelined due to injuries, Nigeria has unveiled a 23-man squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Osimhen, who plays as a striker for Napoli, and Chukwueze, a winger for AC Milan, sustained injuries last month during international duty and are still in the recovery phase.

In light of their absence, the roster now includes Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest, Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen, and Terem Moffi, a striker from Nice, all of whom have been called up for the qualifying round.

The 24-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger, Nathan Tella, received his inaugural call-up to the Nigerian national team.

Nigeria is scheduled to host Lesotho in Uyo on November 16, followed by a match against Zimbabwe in Rwanda three days later. The qualifying group also includes South Africa, Rwanda, and Benin, with the overall winners securing automatic advancement to the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.