Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches after his recovery from a muscle strain took longer than expected.
A Super Eagles official confirmed that the Galatasaray striker will not be available during the international window, after he was left out of his club’s match against Trabzonspor.
Osimhen had initially been named in Nigeria’s squad because Galatasaray and the Super Eagles technical team believed he could recover in time to play in the Super Lig before joining up with the national side.
His failure to feature in that match has now confirmed that he is not yet ready to return to competitive action.
“Victor Osimhen’s recovery from a muscle strain has been slower than expected,” the Super Eagles official said.
“He was included in Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON qualifiers because Galatasaray and the Super Eagles technical crew were hopeful he would be fit for the Super Lig game against Trabzonspor and ready for the international window.
“But his absence from tonight’s match confirms Galatasaray’s correspondence to Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle that the striker is still recovering and will not be ready for Nigeria’s matches.”
Chelle must find attacking alternative
Osimhen’s absence leaves head coach Eric Chelle without one of Nigeria’s most important attacking options for the start of the qualifying campaign.
The striker has become a leading forward for the Super Eagles and a significant source of goals for the national team. Chelle must now decide whether to select another recognised centre-forward or change his attacking structure to make use of the players available.
Nigeria still have forwards who can play through the middle or from wider positions, but Osimhen’s unavailability removes one of their main choices in the centre-forward role.
His inclusion in the initial squad was based on the expectation that his rehabilitation would progress sufficiently for him to return against Trabzonspor. That match was regarded as an important indication of whether he would be able to report for international duty.
With Osimhen not involved, the Super Eagles technical staff will proceed without him rather than risk bringing him back before he has fully recovered.
Nigeria begin qualification campaign
Nigeria’s opening fixtures in the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign will be played during the extended September-October FIFA international window.
The Super Eagles are in Group L with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-hosts Tanzania. Their first two matches are a home fixture against Madagascar followed by an away game against Guinea-Bissau.
The 2027 AFCON will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Nigeria’s immediate priority is to prepare for those two competitive matches while managing Osimhen’s recovery carefully. The statement did not indicate that his absence is permanent, and the striker remains in recovery from the muscle strain.
Niyi Busari is the Publisher and CEO of BSNSportsConcept.