Stanley Nwabali ruled out of African Nations Cup as he needs surgery on an injured hand

SUPER Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has been ruled out of the forthcoming African Cup of Nations kicking off in Morocco later this month after it emerged that he will need an operation on an injured hand.

Taking place in Morocco, the African Nations Cup will hold between Sunday December 21 2025 and Sunday January 18 2026. In what will be the first time the tournament has taken place over the Christmas and New Year period, Nigeria has been drawn in Group C alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

In a big setback for head coach Eric Chelle, however, his number one choice, Chippa United goalkeeper Nwabali, 29, is currently struggling with both an ankle and a hand injury. Vusimuzi Vilakazi his club manager has expressed doubts over the goalkeeper's availability for tournament.

Nwabali has been Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper since his impressive performances at the 2023 Nations Cup in Ivory Coast, where the Super Eagles finished as runners-up. However, he has not featured for his club since Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying play-off loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo last month in Rabat.

Mr Vilakazi said: “I doubt it, looking at the state of his injury. I don’t think he will make it. When I was talking to him, he was confident that he will recover very soon but obviously you will understand because he’s a player who wants to be there at the Cup of Nations finals.

“But the reality is saying for now he is still injured. I also hope for the best that he might find himself there. It’s an ankle injury but then also the hand needs an operation because he’s been playing with that injured hand for a while now and he aggravated the injury while he was in Morocco.”

Despite these concerns, Nwabali was included in Nigeria’s provisional squad announced last week. Nigeria's Super Eagles are yet to finalise their 27-man selection for the tournament but the team will be starting its campaign against Tanzania in their opening match in Fes on December 23.