Nigeria's Olympic Eagles Start Training for U-23 Qualifiers

Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles have begun preparations for their 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifying tie against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The team held its first training session on Tuesday at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne, supervised by head coach Éric Chelle, with 28 players in attendance.

Rangers International players Chimobi Igwilo, Kenneth Igboke, and Chibueze Oputa joined the camp later due to their participation in the club’s CAF Champions League match against MC Alger of Algeria. The squad is expected to hold morning and evening training sessions as more invited players arrive.

The first leg of the qualifying tie will take place at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on November 13, 2026, while the return leg is set for November 17 at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne. The Olympic Eagles aim for a positive outcome over the two matches to advance to the final qualifying round, where they will face either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso for a spot at the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.