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No fewer than 10 players have reported to the camp of the Super Eagles as preparations begin for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Super Eagles’ camp officially opened on Sunday at the Renaissance Hotels, Cairo, with all coaches and backroom staff already in attendance ahead of the tournament.

Thenews reports that Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was the first player to arrive, touching down shortly after 2 a.m. local time, signaling the start of full squad mobilisation.

Uzoho was named as one of three goalkeepers in head coach Eric Chelle’s 28-man squad, marking his return to the national team setup after more than a year on the sideline.

Stanley Nwabali followed as the second arrival, while Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro later arrived in the camp to raise the number to four.

Six more players — Amas Obasogie, Semi Ajayi, Ademola Lookman, Igho Ogbu, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Tochukwu Nnadi, arrived later, bringing the total number in camp to ten.

More players are expected to join in the coming hours as Nigeria intensifies preparations for the continental showpiece.

Sources also reports that the three-time African champions are scheduled to hold their first training session later this evening.

As part of their preparations, the Super Eagles will play a friendly match against the Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.

Nigeria will head into the 2025 AFCON looking to build on their runners-up finish at the last tournament, where they lost 2–1 to hosts Ivory Coast in the final.

The Super Eagles are aiming for a fourth continental crown, having previously won in 1980, 1994 and 2013.

The 2025 AFCON kicks off in Morocco on Dec. 21 and is expected to end on Jan. 18, 2026.

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Goalkeepers Francis Uzoho and Stanley Nwabali were the first batch of players to arrive at the Super Eagles’ camp for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Uzoho, a returnee to the Nigerian team after months of absence, was the first to touch down at the Super Eagles’ camp in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday morning.

The Omonia of Cyprus man, who was a surprise inclusion in the 28-man roster for the continental showpiece, joins Nwabali as the team’s camp opened on Sunday.

A video on the Super Eagles’ official X handle showed Chippa United’s Nwabali alighting from a bus and checking into Nigeria’s hotel.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Akinsanmiro Ebenezer, arrived later in the day, while Igoh Ogbu, ⁠Bright Osayi-Samuel, ⁠Tochukwu Nnadi, ⁠Amas Obasogie, ⁠Ademola Lookman, and ⁠Semi Ajayi will come before the end of Sunday.

With Nwabali still recovering from injuries, Uzoho will fancy his chances of usurping the Chippa United goalkeeper as Nigeria’s first choice.

Amas Obasogie of Singida Blackstars in Tanzania completes the trio of Nigerian goalkeepers for the competition.

More players are expected to arrive at Nigeria’s camp in the coming days after this weekend’s actions, especially in Europe.

The Super Eagles will take on Egypt in a practice match on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at the Cairo Stadium.

After the match, the Coach Eric Chelle-tutored side will fly to Fes in Morocco, their base for the group stage of the tournament.

Nigeria are in Group C alongside Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda. They begin their campaign in the competition against the Taifa Stars on December, 23.

After that, the team will take on Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles on the 27th before battling the Cranes of Uganda three days later.

The 2025 AFCON comes with added pressure for the Super Eagles following their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, the second time in a row Nigeria will be missing out on the competition.

Nigeria were runners up at the 2023 AFCON, losing out to hosts Cote d’Ivoire in a keenly-contested final.

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Manchester City thumped Crystal Palace 3-0 on Sunday to climb back to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal as Aston Villa twice came from behind to beat West Ham.

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest demolished Tottenham 3-0, while Sunderland saw off local rivals Newcastle 1-0 thanks to a Nick Woltemade own goal.

Arsenal, who have set the pace in this season’s Premier League, squeaked home on Saturday with a 2-1 win against bottom-club Wolves, thanks to two own goals.

That put the pressure back on City, who have been showing ominous signs that they are finding their feet in recent weeks.

Pep Guardiola’s men braced for a tough task at Selhurst Park against high-flying Crystal Palace, and Oliver Glasner’s side was the more dangerous team in the first half.

But Palace failed to take their chances, with Yeremy Pino hitting the crossbar with only goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat.

Erling Haaland had largely been on the periphery of the game but scored his 101st Premier League goal when he headed a pinpoint Matheus Nunes cross across Dean Henderson and into the net shortly before the break.

Palace again started the second half brightly but could not break through and paid the price when Phil Foden swept home from a distance after receiving the ball from Rayan Cherki.

It was the sixth goal in four Premier League games for the forward, being watched at Selhurst Park by England manager Thomas Tuchel.

City made certain of the three points when Haaland thundered a penalty past Henderson after Savinho was taken down by the goalkeeper following a surging run down the middle late in the game.

Villa Show Steel

Villa started their match at the London Stadium as the form team in the league, with nine wins in 10 league matches.

But they fell behind after just 29 seconds when Mateus Fernandes robbed Ezri Konsa and rifled home.

Unai Emery’s men were level just minutes later when John McGinn’s cross was headed into his own net by Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Jarrod Bowen put the Hammers back in front midway through the second half, but Villa again drew level early in the second period through Morgan Rogers.

Rogers fired Villa into the lead for the first time in the 79th minute, smashing home a dipping drive from outside the box to seal a 3-2 win.

The victory leaves Emery’s men just one point behind City and five clear of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Tottenham travelled to Nottingham in desperate need of a win after just one victory in their past six league matches.

But Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice, and Ibrahim Sangare lashed home a superb third to increase the pressure on manager Thomas Frank, struggling in his first season at the club.

Sunderland were facing Newcastle in the Premier League for the first time in nearly a decade after spending years out of the top division.

Their goal came from an unlikely source when Newcastle forward Woltemade headed Nordi Mukiele’s cross past his own goalkeeper in the opening moments of the second half.

The win lifted Sunderland to seventh in the table.

Brentford host Leeds in the late kick-off.

AFP