The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to open their training camp on Sunday, November 9, in preparation for their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Panthers of Gabon.

The match is scheduled to take place five days later, though the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has yet to announce the official venue for this crucial encounter.

Head coach Eric Chelle is expected to announce his final squad before the end of the month as the Super Eagles intensify preparations for what could be a decisive phase in their World Cup qualifying campaign.

In the other semi-final pairing of the qualifiers, Cameroon will face Gabon, with the overall winners advancing to the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March in Mexico.

Meanwhile, there is some concern regarding Super Eagles winger Nathan Tella, who is currently sidelined at Bayer Leverkusen. Manager Kasper Hjulmand confirmed that the Nigerian international will not be available for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the game, Hjulmand stated, “Nathan will not be involved tomorrow. He hasn’t returned to full training yet, but we expect him to rejoin the group next week.”

According to reports from Bild, Tella has not yet resumed full team training and continues to work individually as he recovers from a knee injury. This setback kept him out of Nigeria’s international fixtures this month after he was named in the provisional squad for September’s games against Rwanda and South Africa.

The winger, who came through Arsenal’s Hale End Academy and previously played for Southampton and Burnley, made his competitive debut for Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe in November 2023. He later featured in the Unity Cup final against Jamaica.

Before sustaining the injury, Tella had a strong start to the Bundesliga season, recording two assists in his first three appearances for Leverkusen.