Super Eagles set for Unity Cup semi-final clash against Zimbabwe in London

The Nigeria National Football Team are set to face the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the semi-final of the Unity Cup on Tuesday at Charlton Athletic Stadium (The Valley) in London.

Nigeria, the defending champions of the four-nation tournament, will be aiming to secure a place in the final as they continue their campaign in the competition.

The Super Eagles and Zimbabwe have developed a closely contested rivalry in recent meetings, with both sides drawing their last three encounters, including two 2026 World Cup qualifying matches that ended 1-1.

Despite Nigeria’s pedigree, they are yet to defeat the Southern African side in their last three meetings, adding extra tension to Tuesday’s fixture.

Ahead of the match, head coach Eric Chelle has overseen training sessions with a 20-man squad and named separate groups for the Unity Cup and upcoming international friendlies against Portugal and Poland.

The squad features a blend of fresh faces and overseas-based talents, including goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who recently switched allegiance from England to Nigeria.

Other invitees include Emmanuel Fernandez, Igoh Ogbu, Raphael Onyedika, Tochukwu Nnadi, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, and striker Rafiu Durosinmi, alongside several Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players.

Key regulars were left out of the squad as the team prepares for a busy international window, but Nigeria remain confident heading into the tournament following mixed but encouraging recent results.

The Super Eagles narrowly missed out on the AFCON final after a semi-final defeat to Morocco but went on to secure third place in the competition. Since then, they have recorded a win against Iran and a draw with Jordan in friendly matches.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, come into the fixture in decent form after consecutive wins over Botswana and Zambia Under-23s during the March international break.

Kick-off for the match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nigerian time, with the winner set to face either India or Jamaica in the Unity Cup final.