Day: May 20, 2026

Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle names squad for Unity Cup
by Football Sierra Leone

Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle names squad for Unity Cup

Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle has named squads for friendly matches against Poland and Portugal as well as for the Unity Cup against Zimbabwe in England at the Valley Charlton stadium. 

Captain Wilfred Ndidi, as well as Bruno Onyemaechi, Igoh Ogbu, Moses Simon, Akor Adams and Terem Moffi have been named in the side that will contest the Unity Cup.

Some players making their debut with the team are goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and defenders Emmanuel Fernandez and Tochukwu Nnadi. Their opponent in the semi-final will be Zimbabwe on May 26.

For the friendlies, Chelle named a 24-man squad that includes Alex Iwobi, Maduka Okoye, Zaidu Sanusi and Victor Osimhen.

The Super Eagles will take on Poland in Warsaw on June 3 and Portugal in Leiria four days later on June 10.

Unity Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Arthur Okonkwo (Wrexham FC, England); Michael Atata (Ikorodu City)

Defenders: Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Chibuike Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Obinna Igboke (Enugu Rangers); Elias Ochobi (Rivers United); Chibueze Oputa (Enugu Rangers)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Tochukwu Nnadi (Olympic Marseille, France); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa FC, Italy); Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution, USA); Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City); Samson Tijani (FK Dukla Prague, Czech Republic); Ayobami Junior (Shooting Stars); Tosin Oyedokun (Ikorodu City)

Forwards: Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Philip Otele (Hamburger SV, Germany); Owen Oseni (Plymouth FC, England); Zadok Abu Yohanna (AIK, Greece); Terem Moffi (FC Porto, Portugal); Rafiu Durosinmi (Pisa FC, Italy); Femi Azeez (Millwall FC, England)

Friendly squad

Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Arthur Okonkwo (Wrexham FC, England); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)

Defenders: Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Coventry FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Tochukwu Nnadi (Olympique Marseille, France); Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution, USA)

Forwards: A: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Coventry FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Tochukwu Nnadi (Olympique Marseille, France); Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution, USA)

DR Congo defender Rocky Bushiri ruled out of the World Cup
by Football Sierra Leone

DR Congo defender Rocky Bushiri ruled out of the World Cup

DR Congo squad suffers a blow ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as Hibernian FC defender Rocky Bushiri pulled out of the squad on Monday.

Rocky Bushiri, who only featured for the first 16 minutes against ten-man Motherwell in Hibs 0-1 loss to Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership, walked off injured, but coach Sebastien Desabre included him in the 26-man FIFA World Cup squad following injury details unknown.

DR Congo Federation confirmed his omission from the squad in a press release on Tuesday morning, May 20. Bushiri has been replaced by Kilmarnock defensive midfielder Aaron Tshibola, who is 31 years old.

Rocky Bushiri featured for the Leopards during last year’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign as they were eliminated by Algeria in the Round of 16. They have since qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

2026 will be Congo’s first appearance at the World Cup finals since 1972, when they became the first sub-Saharan African country to qualify for the competition. At the time, the country was known as Zaire.

Bushir, who played for Belgium at the youth level, has seven caps and one goal for the DR Congo national team,m Leopards.

He will sadly miss his debut at next year’s World Cup taking place in Mexico, Canada and the USA as DR Congo were drawn in Group K with Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.