Everything You Need to Know About the Super Eagles B, CHAN

Nigeria’s home-based Eagles known as CHAN Eagles are set to participate in the 8th edition of the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), from Saturday, August 2 to Saturday, August 30, 2025, in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the three Nations serving as joint hosts for the first time in tournament history.

Nigeria is part of the 19 teams that will compete for the continental glory, including defending champions Senegal, two-time champions Morocco and DR Congo, as well as powerhouses Algeria, and Zambia.

Nigeria, making only their fourth appearance in the biennial event, have been placed in Group D alongside Senegal, Congo, and Sudan. Nigeria made their debut in 2014 finishing third. In the following edition in 2016, they were ousted in the group stage and then in their last appearance in 2018, they finished as runners-up, losing to Morocco 4-0 in the final. After failing to qualify for the subsequent editions of the tournament, Nigeria will make a return to the tournament after six years away.

But before we go further, what is CHAN?

The African Nations Championship(CHAN) is a biennial African association football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 2009 and first announced in September 2007. The competition features players plying their trade in their national league competitions, which for Nigeria is the Nigeria Premier Football League. Unlike the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), CHAN is exclusively for players who compete in their home country’s domestic leagues.

The conception of CHAN came on September 11, 2007, during a CAF Executive Committee in Johannesburg, South Africa, to give homegrown players opportunities to represent their nations and promote their home leagues globally.

The DR Congo and Morocco are the most successful teams in this tournament with two titles each, followed by Tunisia, Libya and reigning champions Senegal with one title each. Originally scheduled for February 2025, the biennial competition was postponed by eight months on the eve of the final draw due to “inadequate infrastructure, including stadiums, training facilities, and hospitals” in the host countries.

The tournament format:

The 19 teams are divided into four groups:

Groups A, B, and C will each have five teams but Group D will have four teams. The top two from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, followed by semi-finals, a third-place playoff, and the final.

The groups:

Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia
Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, South Africa
Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria

The stadiums for the 2024 CHAN:

Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam (60,000 seats)
Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi (60,000 seats)
Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi (45,000 seats)
Mandela National Stadium in Kampala (45,000 seats)
Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar (15,000 seats)

The grand finale is scheduled for Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre, preceded by the Third-Place Playoff in Kampala on Friday, August 29.

Back to Nigeria’s CHAN Eagles

How did Nigeria qualify?

Nigeria qualified for the CHAN 2024 finals by defeating Ghana in the qualifiers. The Super Eagles got a 3-1 aggregate victory, with captain Junior Nduka playing a crucial role by scoring an important goal.

Squad: Super Eagles B for the 8th African Nations Championship.

Head Coach Eric Chelle selected nine players from the league champions, Remo Stars among the selected 23. Here’s the full 23-player squad:

Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena Ani (Enyimba FC); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United); Lawal Mustapha (Shooting Stars)

Defenders: Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Bankole Afeez (Kwara United); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Uzondu Harrison (Ikorodu City); Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars); Ngengen Leonard (Ikorodu City); Steven Mayo Egbe (Rivers United)

Midfielders: Adedayo Olamilekan (Remo Stars); Hadi Haruna (Remo Stars); Otaniyi Taofik (Rivers United); Akanni Qudus (Remo Stars); Michael Tochukwu (Remo Stars); Alex Oyowah (Remo Stars)

Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Ijoma Anthony (Abia Warriors); Godwin Obaje (Rangers International); Jabbar Malik (Remo Stars)

Who are the Key players?

Captain Junior Nduka will play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s CHAN campaign, contributing both leadership and scoring ability. Another player to keep an eye on is Anas Yusuf, the top scorer in the Nigerian Premier League. His sharp instincts and clinical finishing make him a constant threat on the field.

Pre-CHAN friendlies:

As preparation for the CHAN proper, the Super Eagles B played against Zanzibar, first on Monday, July 28 and then on Thursday, July 31, with both games ending in draws, 0-0 and 2-2 respectively.

Nigeria’s group stage fixtures:

Tuesday, August 5, 2025
18:00 Senegal vs Nigeria

Tuesday, August 12, 2025
18:00 Sudan vs Nigeria

Tuesday, August 19, 2025
18:00 Nigeria vs Congo

The Super Eagles enter the tournament in hot pursuit of a maiden CHAN title to further solidify their place among Africa’s elite football nations.