36 teams will be battling for glory when the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League officially gets underway, with the league phase of the competition set to begin on Tuesday, September 8.
The draw for the league phase will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday evening. A total of 36 clubs will be involved, divided into four pots of nine as the journey towards the final at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid begins.
One of the major questions will be whether Paris Saint-Germain can retain the title after winning the competition for two consecutive seasons. However, several players will also be looking to make their mark as they prepare to showcase their talents on the continental stage.
Last season, Victor Osimhen inspired Galatasaray to an impressive Champions League campaign, scoring seven goals as the Turkish champions reached the round of 16 before being eliminated by Liverpool.
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Ademola Lookman also enjoyed an impressive campaign. Despite joining Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window, the winger proved crucial in the knockout stages, scoring twice to help the Spanish side reach the semi-finals before they were eliminated by Arsenal.
In this article, Bold Sports highlights the Nigerian players expected to feature and those who will be looking to make their mark in the 2026/27 Champions League.
Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid – Pot 1)
Ademola Lookman joined Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window but immediately demonstrated his quality for the Spanish giants. He scored in their round of 32 victory over Club Brugge, provided an assist in the round of 16 win over Tottenham and netted the winning goal in their quarter-final triumph over Barcelona.
Deployed in an unfamiliar false nine role, the winger has made a quiet start to the new campaign, registering no goal contribution in Atletico’s opening two La Liga matches. However, the importance of the 28-year-old cannot be underestimated if Diego Simeone’s side are to make another deep run in the competition.
Zaidu Sanusi (Porto – Pot 2)
Zaidu Sanusi featured in 17 league matches as Porto claimed the 2025/26 Liga Portugal title to secure their return to the Champions League. It marked their first appearance in Europe’s elite competition since the 2023/24 season, when they were eliminated in the round of 16.
Sanusi has made a strong start to the new campaign, playing the full 90 minutes as Porto defeated Torreense to win the Super Cup before starting all three of their league matches so far. The 29-year-old will now be hoping to carry that form into the Champions League.
Prosper Obah (Shakhtar Donetsk – Pot 3)
Prosper Obah is one of Nigeria’s young attackers who will be making his Champions League debut this season. The 22-year-old joined Shakhtar in December 2025 and scored three league goals in 11 appearances as the club won the Ukrainian Premier League to secure their place in the Champions League.
The electric forward has continued his steady progression since moving from Nigeria to Portuguese side Vizela in 2022, followed by a switch to LNZ Cherkasy in 2025 before joining Shakhtar. He will now be looking to continue his impressive journey as he prepares for his first appearance in the Champions League.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray – Pot 3)
Victor Osimhen needs no introduction. With seven goals in the competition last season, the 27-year-old was one of the Champions League’s standout players, helping Galatasaray reach the round of 16 before they were eliminated by Liverpool.
From a brace against Bodø/Glimt to a hat-trick against Ajax and a crucial goal that helped Galatasaray eliminate Juventus in the round of 32, Osimhen showed why he remains one of the best strikers in the world. The forward will now be looking to continue his impressive Champions League form as the Turkish champions target a deeper run in the competition.
Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague – Pot 4)
Igoh Ogbu was another Nigerian who played in the Champions League last season. However, injury problems limited the defender to just two appearances in the competition, with the 26-year-old featuring in defeats to Tottenham and Pafos.
Overall, Slavia Prague lost five of the eight league-phase matches they played last season, drawing the other three as they finished 34th with just three points, resulting in their elimination. Ogbu and the Czech Republic side will now be hoping for a much-improved campaign this season.
Samuel Isife (Slavia Prague – Pot 4)
Samuel Isife is another Nigerian who plies his trade with Slavia Prague. The 22-year-old joined the Czech champions in January 2026 and went on to make 14 appearances across all competitions, scoring once.
Isife has already started two of Prague’s five league matches this season, featuring in the right wing-back position. He will now be looking to earn more minutes as he targets his first appearance in the Champions League.
Mubarak Suleiman (Slavia Prague – Pot 4)
Mubarak Suleiman is one of the most exciting young talents emerging from Slavia Prague. The 19-year-old joined the club in 2025 and initially featured for the academy, where he impressed with five goals in six UEFA Youth League matches.
His performances earned him promotion to the senior team in February 2026, where he also made an immediate impact, recording three goals and two assists in just nine matches.
The youngster has continued his impressive form this season, registering one goal and one assist in four matches while playing in the left wing-back position. His rapid development could now be rewarded with a Champions League debut as he looks to make his mark on the continental stage.
David Moses (Slavia Prague – Pot 4)
David Moses played a key role as Slavia Prague secured qualification for this season’s Champions League by winning their second consecutive league title. The midfielder featured in 26 league matches, scoring once and providing three assists.
The 22-year-old also made his Champions League debut last season in a goalless draw against Atalanta before featuring against Arsenal, Athletic Bilbao, Tottenham and Barcelona. He will now be looking to gain more experience in Europe’s elite competition while aiming to make a greater impact this season.
Emmanuel Ayaosi (Slavia Prague – Pot 4)
Emmanuel Ayaosi is another of Nigeria’s most exciting young talents abroad. The 21-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign with Karvina last season, recording seven goals and seven assists in 38 appearances across all competitions before securing a move to Slavia Prague for a record transfer fee on a four-year contract.
The winger has wasted no time showing his quality for the Czech champions, making four appearances and scoring in his second game for the club. The highly rated youngster now has the opportunity to make his Champions League debut as he continues his impressive career progression.
Moses Usor (LASK – Pot 4)
Moses Usor will be one of the key Nigerian players to watch this season. The 24-year-old scored and provided an assist as LASK completed a historic comeback against Celtic in the Champions League play-off round, overturning a 4-0 deficit at one point in the tie to win 5-4 on aggregate and secure their place in the league phase.
The Nigerian continued his impressive form from last season, when he scored 15 goals and provided five assists as LASK clinched the domestic double for the first time since 1965.
Usor will now be aiming to showcase his quality in the Champions League after helping the Austrian side secure a historic first-ever appearance in the competition.
Christian Nwachukwu (Sabah FK – Pot 4)
Another Nigerian who played a key role in leading his team to the Champions League for the first time is Christian Nwachukwu. The 20-year-old, who recently joined Sabah FK from Sheffield United, scored his first goal for the club as they defeated Hapoel Beer Sheva 6-4 on aggregate in the play-off round.
The victory secured Sabah’s maiden qualification to the Champions League just nine years after the club was founded. Nwachukwu will now be hoping to replicate his qualifying-round heroics as his Champions League debut draws closer.
Another Nigerian at Sabah to look out for is Japhet Bulus. The 19-year-old featured for the club in the UEFA Youth League last season and could be handed an opportunity to make his Champions League debut this campaign.
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