Defender Calvin Bassey and four more players arrived in the Super Eagles’ Uyo camp, yesterday, as the team continued their preparation for Friday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against South Africa.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), in a statement, hinted that the atmosphere around the Super Eagles’ camp livened up with the arrival of Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Frank Onyeka and Paul Onuachu to the camp.

The five players, who were stranded in two different parts of the country as a result of the nationwide strike, were ferried into Uyo yesterday morning.

They landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo just after noon aboard a private jet arranged by the NFF and were driven to the team’s Ibom Hotel and Resorts’ camp to join their team mates in time for lunch.

The arrival of the quintet brought the tally of players in camp to 20, three days to the Day 3 qualifying battle with the Bafana Bafana at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in the Akwa Ibom capital.

The Super Eagles trained behind closed doors yesterday at the Godswill Akpabio practice pitch, but they are expected to train on the mainbowl of the stadium this evening.

Nigeria and South Africa go toe-to-toe in a rematch of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations first semi-final, which the Super Eagles trumped 4-2 after penalty shootout at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.

Nigeria, who have reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, missed out on the last houseparty in Qatar, and after a sluggish start to the qualifiers, need all three points on offer to be in strong contention for the only ticket from Group C as the campaign drags on.

Rwanda are surprise leaders of the pool after two matchdays, on four points, with South Africa on three and Nigeria on two.

The 10-match series will end in October next year, with winners of the nine groups qualifying automatically for the finals in Canada, USA and Mexico.

The best four second-placed teams in all nine groups will contest a CAF Play-off Tournament, with the winner going ahead to contest a FIFA Play-off Tournament for another slot.