Poland Test Awaits as Chelle's Eagles Seek to Extend Winning Momentum in Warsaw

Posted : 02 June 2026

Fresh from their successful Unity Cup title defence in London, Nigeria's Super Eagles will look to continue their impressive run of form when they face Poland in an international friendly at the Stadion PGE Narodowy in Warsaw on Wednesday.

Head coach Eric Chelle has begun preparations for the encounter with 18 players already in camp, as the three-time African champions aim to build on a series of encouraging performances in recent months.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi led the first training session on Monday evening, with 16 players taking part in an 80-minute workout under light rain at the Stadion Polonii Warszawa. The session marked the start of Nigeria's build-up to what promises to be a stern examination against the White-Reds.

Among the early arrivals in camp were goalkeepers Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho, and Arthur Okonkwo; defenders Bruno Onyemaechi, Zaidu Sanusi, Emmanuel Fernandez, and Igoh Ogbu; midfielders Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, and Tochukwu Nnadi; and forwards Moses Simon, Paul Onuachu, Jerome Akor Adams, Terem Moffi, and Rafiu Durosinmi.

Defender Semi Ajayi and new invitee Abdullahi Bewene also joined the squad later on Monday but did not participate in the opening training session.

Despite players only recently concluding their club campaigns, Chelle remains focused on maintaining the winning mentality that has seen the Eagles enjoy positive results in recent outings.

"There is a culture of winning that we are trying to build in this team, and that mentality is important," Chelle said.

"You can say that it is difficult to have games at this time because the players have been in holiday mood for about two weeks, but the job must be done.

"We have 18 players in camp now and we will work with that. Everybody must work hard and we will go into the match with the determination to win."

Wednesday's fixture will be only the second senior international meeting between Nigeria and Poland. Their previous encounter came in March 2018, when the Super Eagles claimed a 1-0 victory in Wroclaw courtesy of a Victor Moses strike ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Both nations enter the contest seeking a response after falling short in their respective qualification campaigns for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Nigeria reached the African playoff final before losing to DR Congo on penalties, Poland's hopes ended with a narrow 3-2 defeat to Sweden in the European playoff final.

Nigeria head into the game in confident mood, having gone unbeaten in their last five matches, including victories over Zimbabwe and Jamaica en route to retaining the Unity Cup. Poland, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after suffering a 2-0 home defeat to Ukraine in a friendly on Saturday.

The Super Eagles will hold their final training session at the Stadion PGE Narodowy on Tuesday as they fine-tune preparations for another important test under Chelle's leadership.

This high-profile friendly serves as a crucial measuring stick for the rebuilding African giants as they establish consistency under the current technical crew. Both squads are eager to wash away the disappointment of missing out on global tournament qualification by securing a positive result in Warsaw. The showdown underpins a shared desire to blood new talent while maintaining tactical discipline ahead of future competitive cycles.

Poland Test Awaits as Chelle's Eagles Seek to Extend Winning Momentum in Warsaw

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