Niger coach Nabil Neghiz has named a 25-man squad for the two CAN 2027 qualifying matches against Morocco, with both fixtures being played in Morocco because Niger do not have an approved stadium.
The Mena will face the Lions of the Atlas at the Complexe Mohammed V in Casablanca on 13 November before returning to action on 17 November at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.
The matches will serve as the third and fourth rounds of Group A, with Neghiz announcing his selection on Saturday. Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi had already published his squad on Wednesday.
Neghiz’s group is dominated by domestic-based players, with nine members playing in Niger. Four others are based elsewhere in Africa, including central defender Mohamed Abdouramane of RCA Zemamra in Morocco.
Six players have been selected from European clubs, among them left-back Rahim Alhassane of Bologne in Italy, the only member of the squad playing in one of Europe’s Big Five leagues. A further six players are based in Asia.
Ranked 111th in the world, Niger sit third in Group A on goal difference, behind second-placed Gabon. They are three points adrift of leaders Morocco, who have won both of their matches so far, beating Gabon 2-0 and Lesotho 0-2.
Neghiz began his tenure as Niger manager with a 2-1 victory over Lesotho, but his side were beaten 2-0 by Gabon in their second match.
Niger squad
Goalkeepers: Mahamadou Tanja (Djibrilla Kassali) (Simba SC, Tanzania), Issiaka Boukari Kanta (ASN Nigelec, Niger), Abdoulaye Mainassara Boubacar (AS FAN, Niger)
Defenders: Oumar Sako (Rostov, Russia), Ibrahim Mahamane Sani (Spartanii Sportul, Moldova), Yacouba Diori (Al-Ahed, Lebanon), Mohamed Abdouramane (RCA Zemamra, Morocco), Aboubacar Camara (KS Bylis, Albania), Adamou Gora (USGN, Niger), Rahim Alhassane (Bologne, Italy), Pape M’Baye (AS FAN, Niger), Jalil Mamane (AS Douanes, Niger)
Midfielders: Youssouf Oumarou (Stade Tunisien, Tunisia), Ousseini Badamassi (Al Ahed, Lebanon), Hassane Harouna Moussa (AS FAN, Niger), Boubacar Abdoul Madjid Moumouni (Al-Shorta, Iraq), Mamane Sabo (Zeleznicar Pancevo, Serbia), Ali Mohamed (Maccabi Haifa, Israel)
Forwards: Kairou Amoustapha (Etzella Ettelbruck, Luxembourg), Boubacar Soumana Hainikoye (USGN, Niger), Abdoul-Latif Djibril Goumey (Saint-Eloi Lupopo, DR Congo), Tidjani Amadou Moutari (East Riffa, Bahrain), Daniel Sosah (Aktobe, Kazakhstan), Ismael Abdoul Aziz (ASN Nigelec, Niger), Abdoul Kader Yacouba (AS Police, Niger).