Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has announced a provisional 54-man squad for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, with captain William Troost-Ekong, star striker Victor Osimhen, and several established names headlining Nigeria’s early roster for the continental showpiece.

Chelle places Ekong at the heart of his defence, flanked by familiar regulars including Ola Aina, who has not featured since September, Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Zaidu Sanusi, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Bright Osayi-Samuel. One of the notable new inclusions is Ryan Alebiosu of Blackburn Rovers, who recently secured clearance to represent Nigeria.

Benjamin Fredrick, one of Nigeria’s brightest emerging talents in recent months, misses out due to injury. Ibrahim Olawoyin, who has only just regained match fitness at club level, is also left out after making his last Nigeria appearance over a year ago.

In attack, Chelle has assembled a stacked forward line featuring Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Boniface, and Cyriel Dessers. There is also room for Viktoria Plzen’s Rafiu Durosinmi and former U20 striker Salim Fago Lawal of Croatian side NK Istra 1961.

Stanley Nwabali leads the goalkeeping department, joined by Maduka Okoye, Amas Obasogie, and former No. 1 Francis Uzoho.

On the domestic front, Chelle opted against retaining players from the CHAN squad, instead calling up home-based talents Abdulrasheed Dabai (Niger Tornadoes), Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos), Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United), Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves), and former invitee Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors).

The head coach is expected to trim the list to a final 28-man squad in the coming days. The Super Eagles will open camp in Egypt on Wednesday, December 10, where they will also play a series of friendly matches ahead of the tournament kicking off on December 21.

Nigeria, runners-up at the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, have been drawn in Group C alongside Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda.

FULL PROVISIONAL 54-MAN SQUAD FOR AFCON 2025 (MOROCCO)

Goalkeepers:

Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoye (Udinese, Italy); Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC, Greece); Francis Uzoho (Omonia, Cyprus); Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos).

Defenders:

William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England); Semi Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors).

Midfielders:

Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace, England); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel); Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa, Israel); Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirligi, Turkey).

Forwards:

Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Turkey); Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Wolves, England); Akor Adams (Sevilla, Spain); Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic, Scotland); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen, Germany); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor, Turkey); Terem Moffi (Nice, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos, Greece); Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes); Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen, Czech Republic); Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United); Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves); Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven, Belgium); Philip Otele (FC Basel, Switzerland); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961, Croatia); Emmanuel Michael (LASK, Austria).