Training sessions for the Eagles kick off in Antalya today

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The Super Eagles camp will open on Tuesday (today) in Antalya, Turkey, ahead of this month’s international friendlies against Iran and Jordan, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

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Backroom staff of the national team flew out of Nigeria on Monday as an advance delegation to lay proper ground ahead of the players’ arrival in the Turkish city.

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The advance delegation, which included indigenous assistant coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ilechukwu, medical crew and kit manager, was charged with ensuring that all camp needs were available before the arrival of the players.

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The camp officially opened on Tuesday, ahead of Friday’s international friendly against Iran and next Tuesday’s clash with Jordan.

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Both fixtures will take place in Antalya, Turkey, due to ongoing security concerns and military tensions in parts of the Middle East that forced a change in the original venue in Amman.

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Eagles coach Eric Chelle named a squad of 23 players last Wednesday for the upcoming games, but three notable absentees are striker Victor Osimhen, right-back Ola Aina and first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

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The exclusions of Osimhen and Nwabali headline a sweeping reshuffle of the squad that featured at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with Chelle opting to assess new options ahead of the fixtures.

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Also omitted are goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defenders Chidozie Awaziem and Ryan Alebiosu, midfielders Muhammed Usman, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Tochukwu Nnadi, as well as forwards Salim Fago and Cyriel Dessers.

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New call-ups include Emmanuel Fernandez, Philip Otele and Collins Yira Sor, a clear signal to deepen squad options and inject fresh legs.

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Team captain Wilfred Ndidi returns to anchor the side, alongside midfield regular Alex Iwobi and former African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman, who is expected to lead the attack in Osimhen’s absence.

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Nigeria will kick off their campaign against Iran on Friday at 4pm before taking on Jordan on Tuesday, March 31, with an 8pm Nigerian time kick-off.

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