Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has finally joined up with the Nigeria squad in Uyo as the final player to report for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. The Super Eagles camp opened on Sunday, and 23 squad members had already trained together on Monday while the 27-year-old was notably absent.
Footage circulating on social media on Wednesday morning showed Okoye at Milan Fashion Week conversing with American rapper Cardi B and modelling his club’s third kit on Tuesday night. The clip sparked significant backlash from local media and supporters online, who drew links between his public appearance in Italy and his delayed arrival ahead of Friday’s international fixture.
Journalist Samuel Areo highlighted the lack of clarity surrounding the delay on social media.
“Like I said in my previous tweet, the communication gap will always be a problem and it’s not the first time. If they’ve not seen him or others, people will always ask questions,” Areo posted on X.
Similarly, On-Air Personality Buchi Onakola voiced frustration regarding the timing of the public sighting.
“I don’t want to overreact, but even if you’re not in camp with less than 42 hours to go to important qualifying matches for your country, you should not be seen in public places. It’s a big insult to the other players that are in camp,” Onakola said.
A supporter, Leye Mabeoruoraye, urged the Nigeria Football Federation to intervene, arguing that players should demonstrate the same commitment to international duty as their European counterparts. He noted that Okoye has established a pattern of late arrivals to the national setup.
Late arrivals have featured in Okoye’s international career before. He was the last player to join the squad in Uyo for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa in June 2024, ahead of a 1-1 draw with South Africa and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Ivory Coast. He drew similar criticism during preparations for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers in November 2025, though he reported earlier during windows where he was line to start.
Okoye has conceded 11 goals without a clean sheet in five Serie A appearances for Udinese this season. Since making his debut against Brazil in October 2019, he has earned 21 caps for Nigeria, including an extended break from international football between 2022 and June 2024.
Though absent from the previous AFCON, Okoye made strong performances against Poland and Portugal in June while Stanley Nwabali was omitted from the team, winning praise from head coach Eric Chelle.
With Nwabali returning to the squad alongside Wrexham shot-stopper Arthur Okonkwo, Chelle faces a decision in goal for the upcoming fixture. While Okonkwo would be earning his competitive debut if selected, Nwabali and Okoye hold significantly more international experience.