The Super Eagles’ camp in Cairo was completed on Wednesday night following the arrival of Victor Osimhen, as Nigeria continued Super Eagles AFCON preparations ahead of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Osimhen arrived at about 9:45 p.m. Nigerian time (10:45 p.m. local time), making him the final member of the 28 invited players for the tournament scheduled to run from December 21 to January 18, 2026.
Promise Efoghe, Super Eagles Media Officer, confirmed the striker’s arrival to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), noting its impact on the squad.
“Victor Osimhen joined the camp late Wednesday night and that means that we now have all invited players in camp.
“It is a big lift for the squad because everyone is now focused on the same objective as final preparations begin in earnest,” Efoghe said.
The Super Eagles opened camp on Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Renaissance Hotels in Cairo, Egypt, with all coaches and backroom staff already in place.
Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was the first player to arrive, landing shortly after 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, setting the pace for the rest of the squad.
Since then, the team has held two training sessions, on Monday and Tuesday, before taking on Egypt in an international friendly at the Cairo International Stadium.
Osimhen, along with Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze, did not feature in the match as they were concluding club duties before joining Super Eagles AFCON preparations.
Nigeria lost the friendly 2–1, but Efoghe said the result was not a concern for the technical crew.
“The friendly against Egypt was purely for assessment and fine-tuning,” he said.
“The coaches were more interested in combinations, fitness levels and tactical understanding than the scoreline.”
Players also played down the result, focusing instead on lessons from the game.
“These games will help us to correct mistakes early,” Awaziem was quoted as saying.
“It is better to learn now than during the tournament.”
Onuachu said the squad remained focused despite the defeat.
“We are not discouraged,” he said.
“The focus is on improving every day and being ready for our first group game.”
Wednesday’s activities included a gym session at 11 a.m. and an evening training session at 5 p.m., as Super Eagles AFCON preparations continued.
The team will leave Cairo on Thursday for Fés, where they will play their Group C matches against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. Egypt will move to Agadir for their Group B games.
Efoghe said the atmosphere in camp remained positive, adding that the players understood expectations from home.
“There is a strong sense of responsibility in camp,” he said.
“The players know what Nigerians expect and they are determined to give their best in Morocco.”
The 2025 AFCON will be hosted in multiple Moroccan cities, with Nigeria aiming to improve on recent outings and compete for the title.
Full List: Super Eagles’ 28 AFCON Invitees in Camp (Order of Arrival) Francis Uzoho, Stanley Nwabali, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Akinsanmiro Ebenezer, Amas Obasogie, Semi Ajayi, Ademola Lookman, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Igho Ogbu, Tochukwu Nnadi, Zaidu Sanusi, Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Cyril Dessers, Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke, Raphael Onyedika, Ryan Alebiosu, Salim Fago, Chidozie Awaziem, Usman Mohammed, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen.
All 28 players are now in camp as Super Eagles AFCON preparations continue ahead of Nigeria’s Group C fixtures at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
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