AFCON: Nigeria goalkeepr Stanley Nwabali doubtful for tournament due to injury

Stanley Nwabali, the first-choice goalkeeper for the Nigeria senior men’s national team, is a doubt for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as he is currently nursing an injury.

​According to Chippa United manager, Vusumuzi Vilakazi, Nwabali is currently battling an ankle and hand injury, which was said to have been re-aggravated during the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs last month.

​Speaking to Supersport on the 29-year-old’s injury status, Vilakazi, said the shot-stopper is pushing to be fit for the competition, as he explained the extent of the injury.

“I doubt it, looking at the state of his injury.

I don’t think he will make it, but 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 he 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.”

Nwabali has not made an appearance for the Chilli Boys since returning from the mini-tournament.

​He has established himself as the Super Eagles’ first-choice goalkeeper since the AFCON 2023 finals in Côte d’Ivoire and made coach Eric Chelle’s 54-man provisional squad list for the 2025 edition.

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