Charlton Confirm Arthur Okonkwo’s Super Eagles Call-Up for AFCON Qualifiers

Posted : 08 September 2026

Charlton Athletic have confirmed that goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has been called up to the Super Eagles squad for Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. The 24-year-old will join Eric Chelle’s squad as Nigeria begin their Group L campaign later this month.

Okonkwo has made an encouraging start to his Nigeria career since switching his international allegiance from England. The former Arsenal academy goalkeeper has earned two senior caps, keeping clean sheets in both appearances during Nigeria’s 2026 Unity Cup campaign in London.

He started the 2-0 semi-final victory over Zimbabwe before featuring in the 3-0 final win against Jamaica. Those performances gave the goalkeeper a strong foundation with the Super Eagles and have now earned him another opportunity under Chelle.

The upcoming qualifiers will provide a much tougher test because they will be Okonkwo’s first competitive matches with the national team. He will also face competition from established Super Eagles goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye for a place in Chelle’s starting lineup.

At club level, Okonkwo is currently playing in the English Championship with Charlton. He joined the Addicks on a season-long loan from Wrexham during the summer and has already made four appearances for the club this season.

The goalkeeper previously developed through Arsenal’s academy before gaining senior experience with Crewe Alexandra and Sturm Graz. He later became an important player for Wrexham and was part of the club’s successful rise through the English football pyramid.

Nigeria will begin their AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on September 25. Four days later, the Super Eagles will travel to face Guinea-Bissau as they continue their Group L campaign.

Nigeria’s group also contains Tanzania, who are automatically qualified for the 2027 tournament as one of the co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda. This means the highest-ranked qualifying team apart from Tanzania will claim the group’s additional qualification place.

The 2027 AFCON will be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17. For Okonkwo, the September double-header offers another chance to establish himself in the Super Eagles setup and strengthen his case for a regular role.

Charlton Confirm Arthur Okonkwo’s Super Eagles Call-Up for AFCON Qualifiers

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