Dapo Afolayan has expressed his excitement ahead of Blackburn Rovers' first competitive fixture of the 2026/2027 season against Burton Albion in the opening round of the Carabao Cup on Sunday.
Born in London, England, Afolayan remains eligible to represent Nigeria and has previously indicated his willingness to switch his international allegiance after missing out on opportunities with England.
The 28-year-old further strengthened his ties with the Super Eagles when he visited the team's camp during the 2025 Unity Cup, where he met head coach Eric Chelle and members of the technical crew.
Speaking to RoversTV, the winger admitted he is eager to put preseason behind him and return to competitive action.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” Afolayan said. “It’s important for us as a team, after a good pre-season, to have a competitive game, because they bring the best out of all of us and get us going.
“The first few weeks of pre-season are always good to get in the building and see everyone again.
“But you feel ready for the action as you get to August and are raring to go for the thick of things when it comes to competitive games, so we’re looking forward to it all starting again.”
Afolayan revealed that he worked hard during the offseason and believes he is fully prepared to hit the ground running ahead of the new campaign.
“I feel good. I’ve had a good pre-season and worked hard in the off-season to get to a level off the back of last term and I’m ready for the new season.”
The former St. Pauli attacker has featured prominently throughout Blackburn's preseason preparations under Tony Mowbray and will be hoping to carry that momentum into the new campaign.
A strong start could also boost his chances of earning a maiden Super Eagles call-up as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Adeyemi Adewale
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