Arthur Okonkwo was unable to link up with the Nigeria national football team after administrative clearance issues prevented his inclusion ahead of the upcoming international friendlies.
The Wrexham AFC goalkeeper had been poised to get a first call up by head coach Éric Chelle following his impressive performances at club level, but his switch in international allegiance could not be completed in time.
Nigeria are set to compete in a four nation tournament in Turkey involving Iran national football team, Jordan national football team and Costa Rica national football team, as they continue preparations despite missing out on the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Arthur Okonkwo, who had previously represented England at youth level, required official clearance from the The Football Association before he could be eligible to feature for Nigeria at senior level.
A source explained the situation exclusively to OwnGoalNigeria, noting that despite not playing competitive senior matches for England, the goalkeeper remains registered under their association with FIFA, making the clearance process mandatory.
“Even though he didn’t play for England in any major competition or games. He is still required to be cleared by the association because he is registered with FIFA as an England international. So just like it was for Promise David who didn’t play for Nigeria but needed association clearance. That’s what Okonkwo needed”.
The delay ultimately ruled him out of the squad, with hopes that the approval would arrive in time falling through.
“Chelle included him in the list with the hope that the letter will come through, but it didn’t. His case is different from Emmanuel Fernandez of Rangers but similar to that of Alex Iwobi who required the same process to play for Super Eagles”, the source added.
Nigeria will now proceed with their preparations for the friendlies without the goalkeeper, as Chelle continues to assess his options during the rebuilding phase of the team.
