Stanley Nwabali will be available for selection when the Super Eagles face Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday evening, the Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed, dismissing widespread reports that the goalkeeper had been ruled out through suspension.
The clarification comes amid intense speculation over Nigeria’s squad availability for the 8:00 p.m. kickoff against the Atlas Lions, with several online outlets erroneously reporting that Nwabali had accumulated two yellow cards and would be ineligible for the high-stakes encounter. The Super Eagles’ first-choice goalkeeper has been instrumental in Nigeria’s march to the semifinals, keeping clean sheets in recent victories over Mozambique and Algeria.
Speaking through Super Eagles Media Officer Promise Efoghe, the NFF categorically refuted the suspension claims, explaining that Nwabali has received only one yellow card during the knockout stage of the competition. “Nwabali has only one yellow card from the knockout stage. He is not suspended because all the cards he received during the group phase of the competition do not count in the knockout stage. He is ready to defend Nigeria’s honours on Wednesday,” Efoghe told The Guardian.
The clarification underscores the tournament’s disciplinary regulations, which reset yellow card accumulations after the group stage, meaning only cautions received during the knockout rounds count toward potential suspensions. This rule ensures that players are not unduly penalized for minor infractions committed early in the competition, though it does not erase cards accumulated within the knockout phase itself.
However, Nigeria will be without team captain Wilfred Ndidi, who is suspended after collecting two yellow cards during the knockout rounds. The Leicester City midfielder, who has been a commanding presence in the Super Eagles’ engine room throughout the tournament, will be replaced by Club Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika in what represents a significant tactical adjustment for head coach Eric Chelle. Ndidi’s absence removes one of Nigeria’s most disciplined defensive midfielders from a match where control of the middle third could prove decisive.
As preparations intensify for the semifinal, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau has moved to quell mounting concerns among Nigerian supporters about the possibility of biased officiating favouring the tournament hosts. Speaking ahead of the match, Gusau expressed confidence in the integrity of the officiating crew and dismissed fears that Morocco’s home advantage could extend beyond the stadium atmosphere.
“I do not have the same fears of the match officials being biased as some people have. I believe that the grass is always green and that the playing pitch is level. I do not see a situation in which the match officials will be working against any team’s interest,” Gusau said. “Last summer, we were here in Morocco for the Women Africa Cup of Nations, and we played the host nation in the Final, even coming from two goals behind to achieve victory. There is nothing to fear. This is the highest level of football on the African continent, and the officials know that CAF as well as the whole world are watching, and will not do anything untoward.”
Gusau’s comments reference Nigeria’s dramatic comeback victory in the 2024 Women’s AFCON final, when the Super Falcons overturned a two-goal deficit to defeat Morocco on their home soil, a result that has been cited as evidence that Nigerian teams can triumph in hostile environments despite the pressures of playing against host nations.
The concerns about officiating reflect broader anxieties within Nigerian football circles, fuelled by historical instances across African football where perceived home advantage has extended beyond crowd support. Morocco, seeking a second AFCON title 50 years after their maiden triumph in 1976, has enjoyed fervent backing throughout the tournament, with sold-out stadiums creating intimidating atmospheres for visiting teams. The Atlas Lions have not lost on home soil in competitive fixtures for several years, and Wednesday’s semifinal represents their best opportunity in decades to reclaim continental glory.
Despite the external noise, the Super Eagles camp continues to project confidence and professionalism, with players adhering strictly to their daily routines at the Hotel Rihab and training at the Complexe Sportif Mohamed VI. Nigeria’s recent form has been exceptional, with the team scoring six goals and conceding none in knockout victories over Mozambique and Algeria, performances that have established the Super Eagles as one of the tournament’s most formidable attacking units.
Central to Nigeria’s resurgence has been the creative influence of midfielder Alexander Iwobi, whose playmaking abilities have reportedly become a source of concern within the Moroccan camp. According to reports from Atlas Lions sources, Morocco’s coaching staff has identified the 29-year-old Fulham midfielder as a primary threat, particularly given his recent performances in which he supplied 22 line-breaking passes against Mozambique and 14 against Algeria. Iwobi also provided the assists for Nigeria’s first two goals of the tournament in the 2-1 victory over Tanzania in Fés on December 23.
Iwobi, who made his international debut against the Democratic Republic of Congo in a friendly match in Belgium on October 8, 2015, will earn his 96th cap for the Super Eagles on Wednesday. His evolution from a promising talent into one of Nigeria’s most consistent creative forces has been a defining feature of the current AFCON campaign, and his ability to unlock defences through precise passing and intelligent movement will be critical against a Moroccan side renowned for its defensive organization.
The semifinal represents a clash of contrasting styles and narratives. Morocco, buoyed by passionate home support and a squad featuring several players from Europe’s top leagues, will be favoured by many observers. Nigeria, however, carries the confidence of a team that has steadily grown into the tournament, combining defensive solidity with clinical finishing and creative midfield play.
For Nigeria, reaching the AFCON final would represent a significant achievement in a competition where the Super Eagles have historically been among Africa’s most successful nations, winning the title three times—in 1980, 1994, and 2013. The team’s last final appearance came in 2023, when they finished as runners-up to Côte d’Ivoire in a tournament that saw Nigeria dominate for long stretches before faltering in the decisive match.
Morocco, by contrast, has not won the AFCON since 1976, and the current generation of Atlas Lions players, many of whom excelled at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where Morocco became the first African nation to reach the semifinals, view this home tournament as a golden opportunity to end that drought.
Wednesday’s encounter at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium promises to be one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament, with millions of viewers across the continent and beyond tuning in to witness whether Nigeria can maintain its momentum or whether Morocco’s home advantage will propel the Atlas Lions to a first AFCON final in nearly five decades.
