Former Leicester City star Ahmed Musa return to Nigerian football has been met with excitement, but his hopes of representing the national team B in the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers have been dashed due to a technicality.
Musa, who recently rejoined his boyhood club Kano Pillars on a short-term deal, was widely expected to be a key player for the Super Eagles B team in their qualification matches against Ghana. However, CAF’s eligibility rules for the CHAN tournament, which is exclusively for players based in their domestic leagues, have prevented his inclusion.
The rule stipulates that only players with permanent contracts registered with a local club affiliated with their national association are eligible to participate. Musa’s short-term contract with Kano Pillars did not meet this criteria.
This decision has sparked debate among Nigerian football fans, many of whom believe that Musa’s experience and talent could have been invaluable to the team. Despite the disappointment, Nigeria will still field a strong squad for the crucial qualifiers against Ghana, with the first leg scheduled for December 20th in Ghana, followed by the return leg on December 27th.
