Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau after Galatasaray confirmed the Super Eagles striker is dealing with a significant groin injury.
The confirmation comes as a major setback for Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles, who are preparing to begin their AFCON qualification campaign after missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Osimhen sustained the injury during Galatasaray’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir, despite scoring the opening goal in the encounter.
Galatasaray subsequently revealed that both Osimhen and midfielder Mario Lemina had suffered a “moderate to advanced level strain with bleeding in the right groin area.”
The Turkish champions added that treatment is already underway and that both players are expected to return after the international break. that effectively rules Osimhen out of Nigeria’s two September fixtures.
Osimhen to miss Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau clashes
Nigeria will open their Group L campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on September 25, with kick-off scheduled for 16:00 GMT. four days later, the Super Eagles travel to face Guinea-Bissau, also at 16:00 GMT.
The two matches represent Nigeria’s first steps towards securing a place at the 2027 AFCON, which will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Tanzania, as one of the co-hosts, already has an automatic qualification route, meaning the highest-ranked team apart from Tanzania in Group L will secure qualification.
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The Galatasaray forward has become one of the most important figures in the Super Eagles attack, offering a combination of pace, physical strength, movement behind defensive lines and aerial ability that is difficult to replicate.
Chelle must now determine who can lead the line against Madagascar before finding another solution for the potentially more demanding trip to Guinea-Bissau four days later.
Nigeria will be expected to begin the campaign strongly on home soil, but the absence of their first-choice striker means the Super Eagles will have to find another route to goals.
Super Eagles have history with September opponents
Nigeria are familiar with both opponents. the Super Eagles defeated Madagascar home and away during the qualifiers for the 2012 AFCON, while Guinea-Bissau produced one of the shocks of Nigeria’s previous qualifying campaign by defeating the Super Eagles in Abuja during the race for the 2023 tournament.
Nigeria eventually responded by winning the return fixture in Bissau. those previous encounters add another layer to what promises to be an important September window for Chelle’s team.
And with Osimhen unavailable, the spotlight will now turn to the other attacking options available to the Super Eagles.
Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s September 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau after Galatasaray confirmed a serious groin injury. Photocredit: Imago
Galatasaray’s indication that the striker should return after the international break offers some encouragement, although the severity of the groin problem means his recovery will need to be carefully managed.
Nigeria, meanwhile, must prepare for the opening two AFCON qualifiers without their star forward.
After the disappointment of missing the 2026 World Cup, the Super Eagles’ next qualification campaign will begin with a major attacking problem to solve.
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