Former Nigerian international Friday Ekpo has called on Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to extend invitations to Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players for the upcoming 2026 Unity Cup, warning against an over-reliance on Europe-based professionals.
The tournament is scheduled to run from May 26 to 30 at The Valley, the home ground of Charlton Athletic in London. Nigeria, the defending Unity Cup champions, will face Jamaica, Zimbabwe, and India in the competition.
Speaking to Complete Sports, Ekpo argued that the tournament presents a fitting opportunity to evaluate home-based talent without the high stakes associated with World Cup or AFCON qualifying fixtures. “The Unity Cup should be an opportunity for the Super Eagles handler to pick a few of the NPFL players who he thinks are capable of contributing positively to the senior national team,” he said.
Ekpo was careful to clarify that his position is not one of opposition to foreign-based players featuring for the national team, but rather a plea for balance in the selection process. “I have nothing against inviting foreign players to the team, but neglecting players in the domestic league should not be encouraged because we still have quality players who can be of great value to the team,” he added.
The former international maintained that standout performers in the NPFL deserve recognition on the international stage, suggesting that consistent domestic form should carry weight in the selection conversation. In his view, including such players would both reward their performances at club level and broaden the depth available to the national team.
Eric Chelle was appointed Super Eagles head coach in January 2025, succeeding Augustine Eguavoen. The Malian-French tactician has faced scrutiny over his early squad selections, with the debate around home-based players being a recurring theme under successive Nigeria coaches. Historically, NPFL players have featured sparingly in Super Eagles squads, with the majority of call-ups going to professionals based in European leagues.
The Unity Cup, a quadrennial tournament held in London and primarily targeting African diaspora communities in the United Kingdom, has served as a platform for coaches to experiment with fringe players and assess emerging talent in a competitive but relatively low-pressure setting. Nigeria’s status as defending champions adds a degree of expectation to their participation in the 2026 edition.
With Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign ongoing, the Unity Cup arrives at a critical moment for Chelle to assess the full breadth of his player pool ahead of crucial fixtures later in the year.
