Head coach Éric Chelle has made a late change to Nigeria's Olympic Eagles squad, calling up Nasarawa United striker Prince Bawa Oche to replace injured forward Suleiman Sani ahead of their 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifying tie against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Saudi Arabian club Al-Qudsiah FC informed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that Sani would be unavailable for the second-round qualifier due to injury, prompting the emergency call-up.

Oche's addition raises the number of home-based players in the squad to eight. The remaining 15 players are based at clubs abroad.

Travel arrangements and match schedule

The home-based contingent are set to depart Nigeria to meet their foreign-based teammates ahead of the first leg. DR Congo will host that opening fixture at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on Friday.

The return leg is scheduled to be played at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne the following Tuesday.

What's at stake

The winners of the two-legged tie will progress to the final qualifying round, where they will face either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso for a place at the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.