Nigeria: NFF Confirms England-Born Goalkeeper, Okonkwo, Ready for Nigeria Call-Up

8 April 2026
Leadership (Abuja)

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has confirmed that goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo is set to make his debut for the Super Eagles at the forthcoming Unity Cup tournament, which is scheduled for next month.

Okonkwo has recently finalized his change of international allegiance from England to Nigeria after having represented England at various youth levels.

Having played for England at U16, U17, and U18 levels, the former Arsenal goalkeeper received FIFA approval on Monday to compete for Nigeria at the senior level.

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An official from the NFF, who spoke to ESPN, indicated that Okonkwo showed considerable enthusiasm regarding his switch, which facilitated the process for the federation.

The official also mentioned that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is eager to include the goalkeeper in his plans leading up to the tournament.

"He was very enthusiastic about switching allegiance and playing for Nigeria, and that made things easier for us," the official stated.

"The coach, Eric Chelle, wants him and would like to have him in the squad as soon as possible."

Okonkwo's remarkable performances this season have further bolstered his case for a national team call-up.

The 24-year-old has made 42 appearances across all competitions and achieved 10 clean sheets in 37 Championship matches, positioning him among the top-performing goalkeepers in the league.

The Super Eagles are anticipated to commence their Unity Cup campaign against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at The Valley, the home ground of Charlton Athletic in England.

Nigeria, the reigning champions of the tournament, secured victory in the previous edition by defeating Jamaica on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regular time.

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