Nigeria will be without several of their biggest stars when they take on archrivals Ghana in the highly anticipated Unity Cup clash later this month in London.

The Nigeria Football Federation has unveiled a squad list for the four-nation tournament, confirming the absence of key players such as Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. Both forwards are notable omissions, joined on the sidelines by Alex Iwobi, Joe Aribo, and Calvin Bassey.

Also missing from the matchday squad is defender Felix Agu, who will travel with the team but only for training purposes.

Their absence, however, opens the door for fringe and home-based talents to make a mark on the international stage. The tournament, taking place from May 28 to 31 at Brentford FC’s G-Tech Community Stadium, will see Nigeria battle Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago in what is both a celebratory showcase and a valuable tune-up ahead of upcoming international qualifiers.

Despite the high-profile absentees, Nigeria still boasts a competitive lineup. Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka provide experience in midfield, while the attacking front will be led by Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, and Samuel Chukwueze. Promising stars like Nathan Tella and Cyriel Dessers also make the cut, alongside local league representatives Amas Obasogie and Junior Nduka.

Nigeria’s opening match pits them against Ghana on May 28 in what is expected to be a thrilling West African derby. Ghana’s head coach Otto Addo is expected to announce his squad next week.