Int’l Friendly: Visa issues, withdrawals hit Super Eagles ahead of Poland trip

Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, will depart for Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday as preparations intensify for their international friendly against the Polish national team.

The highly anticipated encounter is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, one of the most iconic football venues in Europe.

The match is expected to provide head coach Éric Chelle with another opportunity to assess his squad and experiment with tactical options ahead of future competitive fixtures.

Members of the coaching crew, backroom staff, and several players who were part of Nigeria’s victorious 2026 Unity Cup campaign are expected to make the trip. The Super Eagles recently lifted the Unity Cup after an impressive outing, boosting confidence within the team.

There have, however, been a few changes to the squad. Millwall winger Femi Azeez has been drafted in as a replacement for Samuel Chukwueze, who is unavailable for the friendly. Azeez will be hoping to impress the coaching staff and stake a claim for a regular place in the national team setup.

Nigeria will also be without two of its biggest stars, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, both of whom have withdrawn from the fixture. Their absence is expected to create opportunities for other attacking players to showcase their abilities on the international stage.

In addition, midfield duo Alhassan Yusuf and Samson Tijani will not travel with the team after encountering visa-related challenges, reducing Chelle’s options in the middle of the park.

Despite the absences, the friendly presents another valuable test for the Super Eagles as they continue to build momentum and strengthen the squad ahead of upcoming international assignments, including qualification campaigns and major tournaments.

The coaching crew will be keen to use the match to evaluate new players and further improve team chemistry.