Super Eagles Open Uyo Camp as Troost-Ekong, Onyemaechi Check In Early

The Super Eagles have opened camp in Uyo for this international window of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with captain William Troost-Ekong, defender Bruno Onyemaechi, and goalkeeper Amas Obasogie among the first players to arrive. 

The team is lodged at the Four Points by Sheraton, a now familiar base that keeps the squad ten minutes from the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium complex.

The first official training session is slated for Tuesday on the practice pitch beside the main bowl, giving the coaches immediate time on the grass before full tactical rehearsals later in the week.

Head coach Eric Chelle has called 23 players for this window. With more arrivals expected, the early sessions will focus on recovery for the first wave and sharp ball work for those who played over the weekend.

As the full group assembles, the intensity will rise to full-team shape, set-piece reps, and short in-house games to tune pressing and transitions.

This camp carries a clear edge: the fixtures against Rwanda and Zimbabwe are framed as must-win matches. Nigeria’s route to North America 2026 leaves very little margin for error, so the emphasis in Uyo will be on clean defensive structure and taking chances early.

Troost-Ekong’s presence offers leadership and organisation at the back, Onyemaechi adds thrust on the left and set-piece delivery, while Obasogie’s early arrival gives the goalkeeping union more time to align on communication and starting positions for a high defensive line.

Beyond the tactical boards, the mood around the hotel matters. Early arrivals usually translate to better recovery, more video time, and a calmer build-up. The staff will keep sessions short but intense in the Uyo humidity, with ice baths and nutrition plans doubling down on freshness for matchday. Media duties and community touchpoints will be kept disciplined to protect focus.

The training rhythm is straightforward: activation and small-sided work to open camp, tactical blocks and set pieces at midweek, then a lighter, speed-of-play session on the eve of the first game. Coaches are expected to lock in a starting XI after Thursday’s run-through, with emphasis on wide combinations, second-ball reactions, and fast restarts,areas that often decide tight African qualifiers.

Uyo has been good ground for Nigeria in recent years, and the plan is to make home advantage count again: start fast, impose tempo, and keep the crowd engaged.

With camp now live and the first core of senior players on site, the Super Eagles have the platform they need. The rest is execution—turning a focused week in camp into points on the table.