Unity Cup: Nigeria's Super Eagles Ready For Battle With Warriors Of Zimbabwe

The Super Eagles are set to take on Zimbabwe in the first semi-final of the Unity Cup on Tuesday.

Nigeria, defending champions of the four-nation tournament, will battle the Warriors of Zimbabwe at Charlton Athletic Stadium (The Valley).

The Super Eagles and the Warriors are no strangers to each other. In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria and Zimbabwe played out a 1-1 draw in both legs.

Nigeria have failed to beat the Southern African side in their last three meetings, with all ending in draws.

Tuesday’s match will see two African teams clash in the Unity Cup, while the other semi-final will feature India against Jamaica on Wednesday.

Ahead of the game, Coach Eric Chelle held training with 20 players. The Franco-Malian coach has named two squads — one for the Unity Cup and another for the team’s June friendlies against Portugal and Poland.

It’s matchday in Charlton #NIGZIM #unitycup #thevalley pic.twitter.com/CkU035N3A5

Several high-profile names are missing from both squads. But among the new players is Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who recently switched his allegiance from England to Nigeria.

Others include defenders Emmanuel Fernandez and Igoh Ogbu; midfielders Raphael Onyedika, Tochukwu Nnadi, and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro; as well as striker Rafiu Durosinmi.

Some Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players also made the list, including Michael Atata, Elias Ochobi, Chibueze Oputa, Obinna Igboke, Aderemi Adeoye, Ayobami Junior, and Tosin Oyedokun.

Despite the absence of key players, Nigeria head into the tournament — particularly the clash against Zimbabwe — in good form.

The Super Eagles agonisingly lost to Morocco in the semi-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) before finishing third in the competition.

However, they have since won one and drawn one of their friendly matches, beating Iran 2-1 before settling for a draw against Jordan.

Zimbabwe will be aiming to cause an upset after winning their last two matches since their group-stage exit at the 2025 AFCON. They recorded a 3-0 victory over Botswana and a 1-0 win against Zambia Under-23s during the March international break.

The match between Nigeria and Zimbabwe is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, at The Valley in London.

Kick-off is at 7:30 p.m. Nigerian time.

Tuesday’s match will see two African teams clash in the Unity Cup, while the other semi-final will feature India against Jamaica on Wednesday.

If Nigeria win, they will face either India or Jamaica in the final.