The Confederation of African Football, CAF, gave all countries that will be participating at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations up until December 14 to submit their provisional squads for the tournament.
CAF’s laws stipulate that the teams must submit a list with a maximum of 55 players. The final squads will comprise 27 players, an increase from the initial 23 from previous tournaments.
Most countries have already submitted their lists to CAF. However, Nigeria’s list for some reason has not been made public, even if it is certain Jose Peseiro has filed it.
“I do know it has been submitted to CAF,” Solace Chukwu, the Chief Editor for Pulse Sports“ So I can only assume that, in keeping with the norm, the announcement will be delayed as long as possible.”
There are rumors that new faces like Montpellier forward, Jerome Akor, and Chippa United goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali made the cut.
Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, Ajax’s Chuba Akpom, and a player from top Tunisian club, Esperance, Onuche Ogbelu are also believed to have been included.
The deadline for the submission of the final squads for the tournament is January 3, 2023, which is 10 days before the opening match.
Only 23 players will be eligible for selection for each match during the tournament. However, a player in the final squad can only be replaced after a serious injury no less than 24 hours before the team’s first match and that would need to be approved by the medical certificate by the CAF Medical Committee.
It remains to be seen when Peseiro and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will decide to make the Super Eagles’ list public.