Injured in his left knee with Galatasaray, Victor Osimhen will have surgery on Saturday and will miss Nigeria’s double header against Tanzania, on 13 and 17 November, in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Galatasaray made the news official on Friday 6 November 2026: Victor Osimhen has a strain in his left knee, sustained in the Champions League match against Stuttgart (2-0). An MRI revealed a loose body in the joint, forcing the Turkish club to schedule an arthroscopy for the very next day.
The 27-year-old Nigerian striker is therefore out of Nigeria’s double header against Tanzania, on 13 and 17 November, in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The absence comes after the national team’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau.
An arthroscopy scheduled for Saturday
In a statement relayed by Premium Times, Galatasaray explained: “In the Champions League match we played against VfB Stuttgart, our player Victor Osimhen suffered a strain in his left knee, and MRI exams detected a loose body.” The club therefore decided to resort to an arthroscopy, scheduled for Saturday 7 November at Maslak Acıbadem hospital.
The procedure will be performed by Dr Yener İnce, the Istanbul club’s doctor. Osimhen is consequently withdrawn from the squad for the league match against Amed Sportif Faaliyetler, scheduled for Saturday. The club did not disclose a recovery period, leaving uncertainty over his return to competition.
A Nigeria already weakened
Osimhen’s absence is another blow for the Nigerian national team, which must bounce back from its 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau. The staff will have to make do without their striker for the two matches against Tanzania.
It is not the first time the striker has been unavailable this season. In September, he had already missed 33 days of competition after a right adductor injury sustained against İstanbul Başakşehir.
Galatasaray deprived of their goalscorer
For Galatasaray too, the announcement is a blow. The Istanbul club temporarily loses a key element of their attack, having already had to do without his services for more than a month this season. The arthroscopy requires a recovery period whose length has not been specified.
The return match against Tanzania, on 17 November, will also be played without Victor Osimhen.