Victor Osimhen ruled out for Nigeria's AFCON qualifiers

The Super Eagles of Nigeria confirmed that star striker Victor Osimhen will be unavailable for their opening matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau due to a muscle strain. The announcement was made on social media, stating that Osimhen is continuing his recovery.

Initially included in head coach Eric Chelle’s 24-man squad, Osimhen's recovery has taken longer than anticipated, leading to his absence from the upcoming fixtures. He also missed Galatasaray’s Turkish Süper Lig match against Trabzonspor on September 19, having sustained the injury during a match against Istanbul Başakşehir earlier in September.

The injury was identified as affecting his right adductor muscle group. Nigeria will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 25 and will travel to Guinea-Bissau for a match on September 29.

The Super Eagles are in Group L, alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Tanzania, with the top two teams qualifying for the tournament in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.