The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has said they are the ones to decide if Chelsea’s duo of Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu play for the national team.
This is in response to speculations that both midfielders have applied to FIFA for a switch of international allegiance.
The NFF has now labelled the news as “fake” and insisted that players are not the ones who submit the paperwork for the switch.
BBC journalist, Oluwasina Okeleji, writing on X said: “A top NFF official has denied reports that Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu have submitted their papers for a switch of nationality to represent Nigeria.
“He said “Only a federation can apply on behalf of players if they intend to switch, news circulating now is fake news.”
The rumours had suggested that Chukwuemeka and Ugochukwu were set to join the Super Eagles’ squad ahead of the March 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
Both players, who have represented England and France respectively at youth level, are eligible to represent Nigeria through their heritage.
With newly appointed head coach Eric Chelle yet to announce his first official squad, speculation continues to swirl over potential call-ups.
