From Nigeria to the NFL: five Nigerians among 13 athletes chosen for NFL international programme

Nigeria has strengthened its presence on the global American football stage after five athletes were named in the National Football League’s International Player Pathway (IPP) Programme Class of 2026, Sport360NG reports.

The NFL confirmed on Monday that 13 athletes from 10 countries have been chosen for the latest edition of the development initiative, which was launched in 2017 to identify elite international talent and provide a structured route into the league.

The IPP programme offers selected athletes the chance to train at an elite level, develop position-specific skills and compete for opportunities with NFL teams. Previous participants have come from a wide range of sporting backgrounds, including rugby, basketball, Gaelic football and athletics.

Since the programme began, 70 international players have signed contracts with NFL franchises, with 22 currently on active rosters. Nigeria has already produced IPP success stories, notably CJ Okoye and Haggai Ndubuisi, who have both earned NFL opportunities.

The Nigerian players selected for the 2026 class are Collins Arogunjo, Uar Bernard, Michael Daramola, Chibuike Madu and Anjola Oketola. They join athletes from Australia, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Algeria and the United Kingdom in the new intake.

NFL Director of International Football Development Patrick Long said the programme remains central to the league’s global ambitions.

“We’re thrilled to welcome a new group of talented international athletes to the 2026 IPP programme,” Long said. “The IPP is a key part of the global growth of our game, providing a pathway for elite athletes, many of whom have gone on to achieve significant success in the NFL and beyond.”

From January 2026, the selected athletes will take part in a 10-week intensive training camp at X3 Performance and Physical Therapy in Fort Myers, Florida, combining on-field work with classroom-based learning.

Upon completion, they will have the opportunity to showcase their abilities in front of NFL scouts, with the possibility of being signed as free agents or entering the 2026 NFL Draft.

Under NFL regulations, each of the league’s 32 clubs is permitted one roster exemption for a qualifying international player during the offseason, with scope for such players to occupy a 17th practice squad position.

With five Nigerians included in this year’s intake, the country’s growing influence in professional American football is increasingly clear, underlining its role in the NFL’s expanding international talent pipeline.

The remainder of the 2026 IPP class comprises Kaia Clarkin (Australia/New Zealand), Kaylan Faumui (Australia/Samoa), Jarrod Gray (Australia/New Zealand), Felix Lepper (Germany), Kansei Matsuzawa (Japan), Laekin Vakalahi (Australia/New Zealand) and Seydou Traore (Algeria/Ivory Coast/United Kingdom).