Nigeria's volleyball team opens African Champs campaign vs Chad Sept 16 eyeing 2028 Olympics
Nigeria's senior men's volleyball team kicked off their 2026 African Men's Volleyball Nations Championship campaign in Tunisia on Monday, September 14, with their opening match against Chad scheduled for Wednesday, September 16. Drawn in Group C alongside Algeria and Chad, the Super Eagles of volleyball are targeting a final appearance that would secure qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Head coach Ryan Masajedi has assembled a 14-man squad featuring two setters (Bruno Ibeh and Adeniyi Favour), two opposites (Armstrong Udoka and Okonkwo Ebuka), four outside hitters (Ogunshina Obayemi, Emmanuel Udah, Faruk Lucky, and captain Abdulquadri Jaiyeola), two liberos (Abednego Hassan and Tiamiyu Ismail), and four middle blockers (Anele Timothy, Pascal Ozokoye, Kaseem Mutiu, and Army Ferdinand). Two new players have earned maiden call-ups for this continental battle.
The tournament carries double significance: besides the continental title, it serves as a key qualifier for Los Angeles 2028, with Nigeria having earned their place through the CAVB qualification process after Zimbabwe's withdrawal left 13 teams competing. Masajedi has warned his players against underestimating any opponent, stressing that "equally at the championship to make a statement."
With Olympic dreams on the line, will you be tuning in to support Nigeria's volleyball squad as they chase history in Tunisia, or does this early-stage African championship feel too distant from the Los Angeles 2028 goal to warrant your attention now?