Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has handed a provisional squad list to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ahead of next month’s decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clashes with Lesotho and the Benin Republic.

According to sources close to the NFF, the list—which features a mix of foreign-based stars and home-grown talents—is under review, with the final selection expected to be announced next week. Both fixtures are considered must-win encounters as Nigeria sits third in their qualifying group, trailing South Africa and Benin.

Nigeria’s qualification hopes, however, may have received an unexpected boost. Reports suggest FIFA is investigating South Africa for allegedly fielding an ineligible player during their 2-0 victory over Lesotho, a breach that could lead to a three-point deduction.

Despite the Super Eagles’ current position, Chelle remains upbeat about the team’s chances. “We are not losing hope because we can still be at the World Cup next year,” he told OwnGoalNigeria.com. “Two games is a lot in football, with six points still to play for in October. We haven’t lost in our last four qualifiers, and we plan to keep it that way. We’ll do our part and wait to see what happens in the other matches.”

Nigeria will first host Lesotho before travelling to face Benin in what promises to be a tense finale to the qualification campaign.