Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has stunned observers after naming only five Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) players in his 55-man provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, leaving out every standout from the Unity Cup in London despite their praised performances earlier this year.
The decision has sparked renewed scrutiny of Chelle’s selection approach, especially after Nigeria’s home-based squad crashed out in the group stage of the CHAN tournament in August.
The exclusion of the Unity Cup performers — several of whom secured overseas moves after the tournament — has fueled debate over whether NPFL players are slipping further down the national-team pecking order.
The five NPFL players who made Chelle’s list are:
- Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos, goalkeeper)
- Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors, defender)
- Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes, attacker)
- Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United, attacker)
- Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves, attacker)
Only Harcourt featured in Chelle’s CHAN squad, which struggled badly in Morocco, intensifying concerns about the readiness and competitive sharpness of domestic-league footballers.
Former Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo has weighed in, backing Chelle’s decision and criticising the mentality he sees among NPFL call-ups. Omeruo argued that too many home-based players enter camp merely to participate, rather than compete for shirts.
“Most of the players who come to the national team from the local leagues now, they just come to complete the team, to train. They don’t compete,” Omeruo told Brila FM.
“You have to come into the national team with the confidence that you want to be selected, not just to get experience and move on.”
The defender also referenced the Unity Cup, noting that some NPFL players only showed their potential after the London showcase — just not enough to earn Chelle’s AFCON trust.
Despite the push for increased home-based representation, Stanley Nwabali remains the only recent NPFL graduate firmly established in the Super Eagles setup.
And with major competition for places, the five NPFL invitees are considered long shots to survive the final cut to 28.
