Taiwo Awoniyi has explained why he did not join the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 Unity Cup and Nigeria’s upcoming international friendlies against Poland and Portugal. The Nottingham Forest striker revealed that he withdrew from the squad for personal reasons despite initially being expected to report to camp.
Awoniyi returned to form for Nottingham Forest towards the end of the season and reminded supporters of his quality in front of goal. The 28-year-old scored a crucial brace in Forest’s victory over Chelsea and finished the campaign strongly after overcoming injury setbacks, making his absence from the national team a notable talking point.
Speaking about his absence, the striker stressed that his decision had nothing to do with football matters.
“I was supposed to be in the Super Eagles camp, but I opted out because of personal reasons I have to attend to.
“We have lots of talents in the Super Eagles, so for me, everyone that is in the team for the June friendlies is as good as me.”
His comments brought clarity to a situation that had generated speculation following the release of Nigeria’s squad lists for the Unity Cup and June friendlies.
Despite Awoniyi’s absence, Eric Chelle’s side enjoyed a successful Unity Cup campaign in London.
Nigeria booked their place in the final with a convincing 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe in the semi-final. Femi Azeez scored both goals on his senior debut to send the Super Eagles into the title decider.
The Super Eagles then produced another dominant display in the final, defeating Jamaica 3-0 to retain the trophy. Alhassan Yusuf scored twice, while captain Terem Moffi added the third goal as Nigeria secured another Unity Cup crown.
The victory extended Nigeria’s impressive record in the competition and provided a positive end to the international window.
Awoniyi last featured for Nigeria in October 2024 when he came off the bench during a 1-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying victory over Libya. Since then, injuries and competition for places have limited his opportunities with the national team.
However, his recent performances for Nottingham Forest suggest he remains firmly in contention for future call-ups as the Super Eagles continue preparations for upcoming international assignments.
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