World cup qualifiers: Lions in camp ahead of Eswatini showdown Thursday.

The players began answering present in Yaounde with the arrival of five of the 26-man continent on Sunday evening.

The early birds were led by forwards, Danny Namaso and Georges Kevin Nkoudou, midfielder Arthur, Avom of Lorient Football Club, Wolverhampton Wanderers defender, Jackson Tchatchoua and defender, Malcolm Bokele of Turkish Super Lig club, Goztepe football club.

Per the communications team of the Indomitable Lions team, 14 other players were scheduled to arrive yesterday night breaking this morning between 8pm and 12:15am to follow the arrival of another contingent that was led by captain Vincent Aboubakar, Saudi Pro League star forward, Christian Bassogog and Al-Duhail football club’s defensive maestro, Jean Charles Castelletto.

The 14-man list was scheduled to be headlined the goalkeeping trio of Simon Ngapandouentbu, Simon Omossola and Andre Onana who ply their trades for Montpellier football club, Saint-Eloi Lupopo and Manchester United respectively in France, the Democratic Republic of Congo and England.

The group also included the Indomitable Lions’ newfound defensive rock, Flavien Enzo Boyomo of Osasuna in Spain and the French Ligue 1 pair of defenders; Christopher Wooh and Mahamadou Nagida who both play for Rennes football club.

Per the list, deputy captain Frank Zambo Anguissa of Napoli sports club of Italy was expected to head the list of midfielders who were also expected to fly in as part of the 14-man delegation. 

The Serie A star was set to trop in alongside the likes of fellow midfielders Martin Hongla who plays for Granada in the Spanish second division, Yvan Neyou of Getafe in Spain’s La Liga and Carlos Baleba of Brighton and Hove Albion.

New York Red Bulls star, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting led the four-man contingent of attackers who were also scheduled to troop in to camp for the Eswatini showdown as another section of the 14-man team. 

The current September window marks the first time that Choupo-Moting is appearing in camp for the national team since Belgian trainer Marc Brys was appointed in April last year.

The forward is one of the top scorers in the Major League Soccer in the United States this season after scoring in some 15 goals in the competition for the New York Red Bulls.

The forward was expected to jet in alongside four other attackers; Patrick Soko from UD Almeria in Spain, Frank Magri who stars for Toulouse in the Ligue 1 and Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo.

Arrivals expected to end Tuesday evening 

The arrival of players for the Eswatini game is expected to be closed this Tuesday when the last contingent of players jet in this evening, per the communications team of the Indomitable Lions.

The five-man final contingent is made up of Seatle Sounders defender, Nouhou Tolo, Harold Moukoudi of AEK Athens in Greece, Chinese Super League man, Michael Ngadeu Ngandjui, midfielder Martin Beautrel Atemengue Ndzie of Rapid Wien and Nicolas Brice Moumi Ngamaleu from Dynamo Moscow in Russia.

The Indomitable Lions are expected to roundup preparations tomorrow Wednesday ahead of the game on Wednesday.

Cameroon will entertain Eswatini at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium on Thursday September 4.

The match will count for the seventh round of matches in the qualifiers to the 2026 FIFA World Cup which is scheduled to take place in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.

Five-time African champions Cameroon is presently ranked second in Group D of the African zonal qualifiers after securing 12points in its opening six matches.

The Indomitable Lions who are chasing an African record-extending nineth appearance in the final phase of the World Cup are placed one point behind the pool’s leaders, Cabo Verde.

The team will challenge the Blue Sharks of Cabo Verde away in Praia on September 9 in its final game of the September 2025 window of the qualifying series which will round up next month with Cameroon facing the Mauritius Island and Angola in its two final matches. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3552 of Tuesday September 02, 2025