Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles have assembled all 31 invited players in camp ahead of their two-legged qualifying encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo as the team begins its quest to return to the men’s football tournament of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The final arrivals were Rangers International trio Chimobi Igwilo, Kenneth Igboke and Chibueze Oputa, who joined the camp on Tuesday after featuring for the Enugu-based club against MC Alger in the CAF Champions League. Blueprint reports

The three players were excused from the team’s first training session following their involvement in the continental fixture, while the other 28 players participated in the opening workout at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State.

Head coach Éric Chelle led the session, which began with stretching and muscle-relaxing exercises before the players moved into light ball work, passing drills and small-sided games despite rainy conditions.

The team is staying at the AM2PM Hotel in Ijebu-Ode, with the Remo Stars Stadium serving as its training ground and expected venue for the return leg against DR Congo.

Rangers trio joins squad as preparations intensify

The arrival of Igwilo, Igboke and Oputa completed the 31-man squad assembled by Chelle for the second-round qualifying tie.

The squad is made up entirely of home-based players drawn from clubs across Nigeria’s domestic leagues, offering the coaching crew an opportunity to assess local talent ahead of the decisive fixtures.

The players are distributed across four goalkeepers, nine defenders, eight midfielders and 10 forwards.

Nasarawa United, Rivers United, Sporting Lagos and Ikorodu City are among the clubs with multiple representatives, alongside Warri Wolves, Enyimba, Bendel Insurance, Rangers International and other domestic sides.

The coaching crew is expected to use the coming training sessions to improve the players’ understanding, assess their fitness and work on the tactical approach for the two-legged contest.

The team’s immediate challenge will be to prepare for the away fixture in Lubumbashi before returning to Nigeria for the second leg.

Dates and venues for DR Congo encounter

Nigeria will travel to face DR Congo at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on Friday, November 13, before hosting the return leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo on Tuesday, November 17.

The tie forms part of the qualifying series for the 2027 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Egypt.

Nigeria received a bye into the second round, while DR Congo advanced after overcoming Mauritania over two legs.

Progression from the tie would take the Olympic Eagles into the final qualifying round of the continental competition. The tournament in Egypt will determine Africa’s representatives for the men’s football event at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

With the two fixtures coming within a short interval, Nigeria will need to manage the demands of travelling, recovery and preparation while seeking a positive result across both legs.

Olympic qualification offers Nigeria chance to return

Beyond the immediate contest against DR Congo, the qualifiers represent an important opportunity for Nigeria to return to the Olympic men’s football tournament after missing the last two editions.

Nigeria boast a distinguished history in Olympic football. The country won gold at the Atlanta 1996 Games, becoming the first African nation to claim the men’s football title. The team later secured silver at Beijing 2008 and bronze at Rio de Janeiro 2016.

However, Nigeria failed to qualify for the men’s football tournaments at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, making the present campaign another opportunity to restore the country’s presence on the Olympic stage.

The Olympic men’s football competition is traditionally contested by under-23 teams, with limited exceptions for over-age players under the competition rules. The qualification pathway therefore provides an important platform for emerging Nigerian footballers to gain international experience while competing for a place at one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

For the Olympic Eagles, the immediate objective is to negotiate the DR Congo hurdle and advance to the final qualifying round. Achieving that goal would bring the team a step closer to the continental tournament in Egypt and, ultimately, a possible return to Los Angeles 2028.

Full list of Olympic Eagles players in camp

Goalkeepers

Chinemerem Olughu — Nasarawa United
Clinton Andy — Rivers United
Ebenezer Harcourt — Sporting Lagos
Michael Atata — Ikorodu City
Defenders
5. Gift Subi — Warri Wolves
6. Hillary Zion — Sporting Lagos
7. Emmanuel Utake — Rivers United
8. Chibueze Oputa — Rangers International
9. Marvelous Freedom — Ikorodu City
10. Kenneth Igboke — Rangers International
11. Odinaka Alfred — Nasarawa United
12. Emmanuel Ochobi — Rivers United
13. Aliu Sugau — Barau FC

Midfielders
14. Freeman Wuchirwe — Bendel Insurance
15. Victor Samuel — Sporting Lagos
16. Umar Mohammed — Nasarawa United
17. Lucky Oraro — Warri Wolves
18. Aderemi Adeoye — Ikorodu City
19. Sani Shuaibu — Warri Wolves
20. Muhammad Salihu — Sporting Lagos
21. Jude Eventus — Warri Wolves

Forwards
22. Junior Ikechukwu — Ikorodu City
23. Timothy Zechariah — Rivers United
24. Williams Wonah — Enyimba FC
25. Ayoola Olaniyan — Sporting Lagos
26. Chijioke Samuel — Enyimba FC
27. Jofrank Joshua — Nasarawa United
28. Chimobi Igwilo — Rangers International
29. Alex Oweifaleya — Bendel Insurance
30. Abdulmuiz Adeleke — Sporting Supreme
31. Habila Simon — Wikki Tourists

The Olympic Eagles will now focus on sharpening their preparations for the November double-header, knowing that a successful passage through the qualifying rounds would put Nigeria closer to a return to Olympic men’s football after an eight-year absence from the Games.