Super Eagles coach \u00c9ric Chelle announced his 27-man squad for the 2026 Unity Cup on Wednesday, Soccernet.ng<\/a> reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u200bThe tournament, which kicks off on May 26, will feature four teams: Jamaica, India, Zimbabwe, and hosts Nigeria. As the defending champions, the Super Eagles will be looking to retain their title in London later this month.<\/p>\n \u200bAhead of the competition, Chelle confirmed he would hand call-ups to several fresh faces. He stayed true to his word, naming 12 uncapped players in his final selection<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u200bThere is a heavy Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) presence, with seven home-based players making the cut. Space was also made for a few stars plying their trade in the English Football League (EFL), alongside Zadok Yohanna, who has turned heads with his eye-catching displays for AIK in the Swedish Allsvenskan.<\/p>\n \u200bFor all the NPFL players invited, this tournament marks their first taste of international football with the Super Eagles.<\/p>\n \u200bIkorodu City dominates the local contingent with three players: Michael Atata, Aderemi Adeoye, and Tosin Oyedokun. Reigning champions Rangers International feature two players\u2014Chibueze Oputa and Obinna Igboke\u2014while Rivers United’s Elias Ochobi and Shooting Stars’ Ayobami Junior complete the local list.<\/p>\n 7 NPFL players invited to Super Eagles<\/p>\n Michael Atata (Ikorodu City) your thought \ud83d\udcad about the list #NPFL26<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/sF1sIMskzf<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 SMD SPORTS (@SMDSPORTS_1) May 20, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u200bAyobami is currently one of the most creative players in the NPFL, sitting comfortably at the top of the playmaker charts with 13 assists. Ikorodu City’s Oyedokun is also highly rated domestically, having racked up four goals and four assists this season.<\/p>\n Only Joseph Arumala(15) was involved in more goals for Ikorodu City than Tosin Oyedokun (four goals and four assists) in the #NPFL<\/a> this season. <\/p>\n A first Super Eagles \ud83e\udd85 call up for the midfielder!#NPFL26<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ou5L90l0ua<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Engineer Kowope (@Undisputed_Jsam) May 20, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u200bHis teammate, Michael Atata, has arguably been the finest goalkeeper in the league, keeping an impressive 16 clean sheets. Following a string of brilliant performances for Ikorodu City, his call-up is fully merited.<\/p>\n ATATA \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n Out of this world! The only way to describe his saves in #IKDKWA<\/a> at the weekend.<\/p>\n A top-class performance from Michael Atata, producing crucial stops to preserve his 11th clean sheet of the campaign.#NPFL26<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/PvlxdZfm9x<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 NPFL News \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddec (@NPFL_News) January 19, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u200bDefensively, Rangers’ Oputa has registered the highest number of assists (6) for a defender in the NPFL this season. Though it is the young right-back’s debut campaign, he has already made a massive impact. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, Rivers United’s Ochobi is another exciting youngster who has brought consistency, solidity, and an incredible work rate to his club this year.<\/p>\n Only Douglas Iyowuna and Wasiu Falolu have more assists for River\u2019s United in the #NPFL<\/a> than Ochobi Elias(2). <\/p>\n He has 25+ appearances (#CAFCL<\/a> & #NPFL<\/a>) this season. <\/p>\n NPFL Youth League winner in 2024 pic.twitter.com\/qqIpt8s4ss<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Engineer Kowope (@Undisputed_Jsam) May 20, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u200bThese are two young Nigerian prospects tipped for big things. Zadok Yohanna is already attracting interest from European heavyweights due to his stellar performances for AIK. Quick, lethal in one-on-one situations, and deadly in the penalty box, the 18-year-old winger has contributed two goals and three assists in just seven Allsvenskan appearances.<\/p>\n Zadok Yohanna is an interesting profile, and I hope he\u2019s able to shake off his injury to feature for the Super Eagles \ud83e\udd85 at the Unity Cup. With that being said, he can also be part of the U20 squad for his development . pic.twitter.com\/zhvEIbiBHG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Engineer Kowope (@Undisputed_Jsam) May 20, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u200bOn the flip side, Rafiu Durosinmi is one of the surprise inclusions. While highly regarded for his raw quality, things haven’t quite clicked for him at Italian side Pisa recently. <\/p>\n Durosinmi is an imposing forward who uses his frame exceptionally well, hass a powerful shot, and likes to drop deep to influence the game rather than just lurking in the box. It will be fascinating to see how he adapts to the Super Eagles setup.<\/p>\nSoccer \u200bMeet \u00c9ric Chelle’s New Boys for the Unity Cup<\/h2>\n
\u200bThe NPFL Stars<\/h3>\n
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Obinna Igboke (Rangers)
Elias Ochobi (Rivers Utd)
Chibueze Oputa (Rangers)
Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City)
Ayobami Junior (Shooting Stars)
Tosin Oyedokun (Ikorodu City)<\/p>\n\n
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\u200bZadok Yohanna and Pisa\u2019s Durosinmi<\/h3>\n
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\u200bThe EFL Trio<\/h3>\n
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