Chinedu Obasi

Nigeria is set to report Bundesliga club Schalke 04 to FIFA over the non-release of forward Chinedu Obasi for the upcoming Cup of Africa Nations qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa.

Obasi is among the players called up to the Super Eagles squad for the matches on September 6 and 10, but Schalke have yet to release the player owing to his passport being held at an embassy where his visa application ahead of the UEFA Champions League season is being processed.

However, Schalke is also keen on having Obasi available for the matches against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga on September 13 and against Chelsea in the Champions League four days later.

The development has led media officer of the Nigerian national team to state that ”the country has a right to have Chinedu Obasi for the games (against Congo and South Africa),” adding that the team secretary already sent out invites to the players three weeks ago and thus, the players are obliged to report to camp.

In line with the process being followed, the media officer stated the club would be reported to FIFA for appropriate sanctions to be imposed.

The Super Eagles, which won the last Nations Cup in South Africa in 2013, have been drawn in Group A of the final qualification stage alongside South Africa, Congo and Sudan, with the top two nations booking a place at next year’s Nations Cup in Morocco.