To bolster Nigeria’s chances in the upcoming crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers, newly appointed Super Eagles coach Finidi George is set to kick off preparations with a training camp exclusively featuring home-based talents, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria take on South Africa and the Benin Republic in June on matchday three and four of the World Cup qualifying campaign in two crucial games.
Usually, the Super Eagles camp opens only a few days before major games with the arrival of the team’s foreign-based stars.
However, with the pressure mounting on the Super Eagles to secure victories against the Bafana Bafana and the Squirrels, head coach Finidi may have decided to go in a different direction.
According to Score Nigeria, the former Ajax Amsterdam winger will focus on integrating home-based players into the national team to inject fresh energy into the squad.
With this in mind, Finidi is expected to open the Super Eagles camp later in May, where he will aim to work with and pass his philosophy to the best talents in the local league before Nigeria’s foreign-based stars join them.
Finidi’s move aligns with his dual mandate of steering Nigeria to qualification for the 2026 World Cup while also emphasizing the integration of local talents into the national team setup.
Nigeria started the World Cup qualifying series with two disappointing 1-1 draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in November.
As a result, the Super Eagles are in a precarious position in Group C, sitting third with only two points.
Rwanda are group leaders with four points, while South Africa are second with three points.
Only group leaders are guaranteed a ticket to the party in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in two years.
