Although not officially announced by the Confederation of African Football, CAF, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), one of the three host associations for the African Nations Championship has reported on its website that the final draw for the competition will be held on Wednesday 15 January.

It reported that CAF has confirmed that the draw will hold at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Nigeria’s Super Eagles B will be featuring at the event which entered its eighth edition. There are 19 teams including hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Others are Sudan, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Central African Republic, Congo, DR Congo, Angola, Zambia, Madagascar and defending Champions Senegal.

The tournament will take place between 1st – 28th February 2025.

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Stand-in Head Coach, Daniel Ogunmodede has called up captain Nduka Harrison Junior, goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, defenders Sadiq Ismail and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, midfielder Saviour Isaac, and forward Sikiru Alimi among a list of 26 players to begin closed-camping exercise at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo on Monday, 6^th January ahead of the 8^th African Nations Championship finals.

Goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, defenders Imo Obot and Stephen Manyo, midfielders Musa Zayyad, Rabiu Ali and Papa Daniel Mustapha, and forwards Adamu Abubakar and Emmanuel Ogbole have also been invited.

The Super Eagles B, for the first time ever in the qualification series, bumped Ghana’s Black Galaxies to reach the final tournament, after a 3-1 win in Uyo last week that followed a scoreless first leg in Accra six days earlier.  

Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, who have been selected to jointly host the 36^th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, have been handed the opportunity to test-run their facilities and operational efficiency with the African Nations Championship finals, scheduled for 1^st – 28^th February.

The 8^th African Nations Championship will feature 18 countries, viz joint-hosts Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, Nigeria, Morocco, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Niger Republic, Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Angola and Madagascar.

26 EAGLES FOR CAMPING IN IKENNE-REMO

Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars); Badmus Gbadamosi (Kwara United)

Defenders: Sadiq Ismail (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojetoye (Ikorodu City); Imo Obot (Enyimba FC); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Nduka Harrison Junior (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International); Steven Manyo (Rivers United); Abiam Nelson (Kano Pillars); Afeez Bankole (Smart FC)

Midfielders: Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Kazeem Ogunleye (Rangers International)

Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United)); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Samuel Ayanrinde (3SC); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors)  

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Remo Stars wing-back, Sodiq Ismail, whose goal opened scoring for Nigeria in the 3-1 defeat of Ghana’s Black Galaxies will not be part of the Nigerian squad when the African Nations Championship kicks off next month in East Africa.

Also out of the Nigerian squad is Jide Fatokun, a midfielder. Sports Village Square has gathered that Sodiq has signed a contract with the Albanian top league club, FK Partizani Tirana.

He is only awaiting the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) to conclude the deal.

By regulation, the African Nations Championship is open only to nationals who must be playing in their countries’ leagues.

The transfer from Remo Stars to another team outside the Nigerian league automatically knocks him out of the African Nations Championship.

 Sodiq who had spent nine years with Remo Stars was first called up to the national team when he was handed a starting line-up shirt by Finidi George in Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying match with South Africa in June.

FK Partizani Tirana club that Sodiq is joining is currently second in the 10-team league. Jide Fatokun, it was gathered is Sudan-bound as he is expected to join Al-Merrikh.

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