The Unity Cup is now a FIFA Tier 1 event. This was confirmed ahead of next week’s competition at The Valley in south-east London. This means all matches will have full international recognition under FIFA rules.
The tournament runs from May 26 to 30 at Charlton Athletic’s historic ground. Teams taking part include Nigeria, Jamaica, India, and Zimbabwe. Nigeria will play Zimbabwe in the first semi-final on May 26. Jamaica will face India on May 27. The third-place match and final will both happen on May 30.
Nigeria are the defending champions. They won against Jamaica on penalties after a 2-2 draw in last year’s final. Before that, Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 in the semi-finals.
Getting the Tier 1 status adds importance to a tournament that celebrates football, culture, and the Nigerian diaspora in London.
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has picked a 27-man squad for the tournament. This squad has 12 debutants. Chelle promised in April to use the Unity Cup to try out new talent while keeping senior players for the June friendlies against Poland and Portugal.
“The Unity Cup provides a platform to assess new players. I will comb Europe and invite new players of Nigerian descent. I will also include those who were previously called but never got the chance to play. Top players from the Nigeria Premier Football League will also be considered,” Chelle said.
Chelle is serious about this. He traveled around Nigeria to watch league matches. He visited places like the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu before making his final choices.
One notable debutant is Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. He recently chose to represent Nigeria after getting FIFA clearance. He had played for England at the youth level before. The 24-year-old is the only newcomer for the Unity Cup also picked for the June friendlies. Ikorodu City goalkeeper Michael Atata, who recorded 16 clean sheets in the domestic league this season, also got his first call-up.
There is one important point about the tournament. Even though it has FIFA Tier 1 status, playing in the Unity Cup will not count as official international caps. This is because the competition is outside the FIFA international calendar, which starts on June 1. Clubs do not have to release players. This is why Chelle’s squad is mostly experimental.
For the June friendlies, Chelle has chosen a more experienced squad. This includes established players like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Maduka Okoye, Alex Iwobi, and Wilfred Ndidi. Nigeria will face Poland at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw on June 3, then travel to Leiria to play Portugal on June 10.
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