GOALKEEPER Francis Uzoho has made a surprise return to the Super Eagles, while Maduka Okoye, who has been deputizing for first-choice keeper Stanley Nwabali, was omitted from Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 squad list. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that also recalled to the team is Paul Onuachu, who has been scoring freely for his Turkish club, Trabzonspor. The long-awaited squad list was released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on its verified X handle on Thursday night. In the final list, coach Eric Chelle named three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and nine forwards for the tournament scheduled for December 21,…
Author: Peter Noah KC
Read More
AS the clock ticks toward the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the Super Eagles are facing a growing injury crisis that is set to force major selection dilemmas for head coach Eric Chelle, who is expected to unveil his final 28-man squad on Thursday (today). News Point Nigeria Sports reports that Nigeria, runners-up at the last tournament in Ivory Coast, released a provisional 54-man list last week, but that pool has since been ravaged by injuries to key players across the pitch most worryingly in goal and defence. Chief among Chelle’s problems is the uncertain fitness of first-choice…
WITH just 11 days to the kickoff of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, the Super Eagles’ preparations have been thrown into uncertainty as head coach Eric Chelle battles two critical issues, a looming squad submission deadline and reports that he is owed three months’ salary by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). News Point Nigeria Sports reports that the 2025 AFCON runs from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, with all 24 participating teams permitted to register 28 players. CAF’s deadline for naming final squads is Thursday, December 11, while clubs are expected to release players…
WITH just days left for Nigeria to announce its final squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, head coach Eric Chelle faces some of the toughest selection decisions of his tenure. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that the Super Eagles are currently in camp as 54 players ranging from seasoned internationals to exciting newcomers fight for a place in the final 28-man AFCON roster. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) allows countries to name between 24 and 28 players for the tournament, a window that has intensified competition across all departments, especially after several unexpected disruptions to…
UGANDA national team head coach, Paul Put, has released a 30-man provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with Nigerian-born striker Uchechukwu Ikpeazu making the list as the Cranes intensify preparations for their first AFCON appearance since 2019. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that Ikpeazu, 30, was born in London to a Nigerian father and Ugandan mother and officially committed to Uganda in 2021 after switching his international allegiance. He earned his first competitive cap for the Cranes in September and will now hope to secure a place in Put’s final 28-man AFCON team. The Cranes arrived in…
THE high-profile international friendly between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Egypt’s Pharaohs—initially scheduled for December 14 has now been moved to December 16, following a late directive from FIFA that reshaped the international release timeline for African players. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that the Egyptian Football Association confirmed the change on Friday night through its vice president, Khaled El-Darandaly, according to reports from Ahram. The adjustment stems from FIFA’s newly issued international release regulation, which permits clubs—particularly in Europe—to hold onto African players until December 15, only six days before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on December…
NIGERIAN football fans are intensifying calls for Victor Osimhen to be appointed the next captain of the Super Eagles following the sudden retirement of William Troost-Ekong from international football. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that the agitation, which has dominated social media conversations since Thursday, is anchored on Osimhen’s growing influence, leadership presence and consistency as Nigeria’s most dependable player. Osimhen, who was crowned the 2023 African Player of the Year, strengthened his case on Friday night after scoring a brilliant brace in Galatasaray’s 3–2 victory over Samsunspor in the Turkish Super Lig. The striker opened the scoring midway through…
SUPER Eagles players and the Confederation of African football have praised Troost-Ekong, who announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, bringing an end to a decade-long career with Nigeria just two weeks before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, The PUNCH reports. News Point Nigeria Sports reports the 32-year-old defender confirmed the decision in an emotional video posted on social media, ending days of speculation that followed Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the playoffs. Troost-Ekong, who made his debut for Nigeria in 2015…
SUPER Eagles, captain William Troost-Ekong has confirmed his retirement from international football after a decade with the Super Eagles, announcing the decision in an emotional statement on Thursday. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that writing on Instagram, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Nigeria, describing it as the greatest privilege of his career and affirming that while his journey on the pitch has ended, his support for the team will continue as he looks forward to a new chapter. “Honoured. Grateful. Forever a Super Eagle. Playing for Nigeria has been the greatest privilege of my life,” Ekong said.…
STAR players such as Mohamed Salah, Bryan Mbeumo, and Achraf Hakimi will be able to play for their clubs for an extra week until December 15 before joining their national teams at the Africa Cup of Nations, FIFA said on Wednesday. Top European clubs such as Salah’s Liverpool, Mbeumo’s Manchester United, and Hakimi’s Paris Saint-Germain face losing key players for up to five weeks for the 24-nation tournament in Morocco from December 21 to January 18 .But they had feared it could be even longer until FIFA amended its rules to soften the blow for clubs by delaying the release…
VICTOR Boniface, Ola Aina, Francis Uzoho, and Kelechi Iheanacho were among notable returnees as Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Chelle, unveiled Nigeria’s provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). News Point Nigeria Sports reports that Aina was injured in Nigeria’s draw against South Africa in September during the World Cup qualifiers and is expected to be out for three months. Boniface, Uzoho, and Iheanacho have not been part of the team in recent matches. The 54-man AFCON list was released on the Super Eagles’ social media handles on Tuesday evening, just about three weeks before the competition…
THREE staff members attached to Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, were on Tuesday morning attacked by unidentified gunmen near the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, the Imo State capital. News Point Nigeria reports that the incident, which occurred between Umuowa and Ihite junction, a short distance from the airport, happened while the team was en route to the facility for official duties. Sources told this newspaper that the attackers, suspected to be fleeing gunmen, opened fire on the vehicle conveying the aides as they approached the airport corridor. Otti’s Chief Press Secretary, Njoku Ukoha, confirmed the attack in a statement…
FORMER Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has urged Ademola Lookman to raise his performance levels ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, insisting that Nigeria will need the Atalanta forward at his very best if the team is to challenge for a fourth continental title. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that the tournament, scheduled to run from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026, will see the Super Eagles attempt to add to their previous triumphs in 1980, 1994 and 2013. Lookman, named the 2024 African Player of the Year, is expected to play a critical…
D’TIGERS suffered a first-ever defeat to Guinea, falling 69-55 in the qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup on Saturday at the Salle Omnisports de Rades in Tunisia. News Point Nigeria Sports reports Guinea dominated the encounter from start to finish, outplaying the Nigerian team in what turned out to be a largely one-sided contest that marked their first victory over D’Tigers in four attempts dating back to 1985. Souleyman Boum Jr. and Shannon Evans combined for 40 points to lead Guinea to a perfect 2-0 start in the opening round of the African qualifiers. The defeat comes after D’Tigers’…
SUPER Eagles striker Victor Boniface has expressed frustration over what he describes as unfair criticism of both his on-field struggles and his online behaviour, insisting that many of the judgments against him are misplaced and exaggerated. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that Boniface, who joined Werder Bremen on loan in the summer after a dramatic late collapse of his proposed move to AC Milan, is enduring a difficult start to life in Bremen. The 24-year-old forward is yet to score in nine Bundesliga appearances and has not secured a consistent starting role, a sharp contrast to his explosive debut season…
FORMER Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum, has raised serious questions for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over the alleged $960,000 (about N1.45bn) released by FIFA in October 2022 to support Nigeria’s preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. News Point Nigeria Sports reports that in a viral video circulating across social media platforms, Waldrum accused the NFF of failing to provide the Super Falcons with a proper pre-tournament camping programme despite receiving the FIFA grant earmarked for that purpose. According to the American coach, he became aware of the payment through a trusted…
NIGERIA’s D’Tigers began their chase for a 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup ticket on the wrong footing on Thursday, losing 88–78 in overtime to hosts Tunisia in the first game of the first phase of the qualifiers, The PUNCH reports. News Point Nigeria Sports report that following a difficult trip to Tunisia arriving just a few hours before their only training session head coach Mohammed Abdulrahman started Jordan Ogundiran, captain Ike Nwamu, Stan Okoye, Talib Zanna and Chris Obekpa from his 12-man roster of overseas and domestic players. D’Tigers started on the front foot, going 5–0 up in the opening…
FORMER President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has said that the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup was partly because of the revised qualification format. He noted that the team would have qualified if the 2018 qualification structure remained in place. News Point Nigeria Sport reports that Amaju made the remarks on Monday at the Big Sport Dialogue in Ikoyi, where he faced pointed questions from the National President of the Authentic Nigeria Football and Allied Sports Supporters Club, Abayomi Ogunjimi. The exchange began when Ogunjimi asked how Pinnick had used his influence as…
SUPER Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has revealed the permanent effects of the severe facial fractures he suffered in 2021, disclosing that the injury continues to shape his daily life and football career nearly four years later. Speaking in an interview with Turkish sports outlet Fanatik monitored by News Point Nigeria Sport, the 26-year-old Galatasaray star explained that nerve damage from the collision has left him unable to eat with the left side of his mouth, a condition that has never fully healed despite multiple surgeries. “I only eat on the right side of my face now,” Osimhen said. “The left…
KANO Pillars ended a seven-match winless streak with a 2–1 victory over Ikorodu City in Monday’s NPFL matchday 14 encounter, News Point Nigeria Sports reports. In Katsina, Pillars stunned second-placed Ikorodu City with a 2-1 victory, halting the Lagos-based side’s eight-game unbeaten streak, the longest run in the league, which had included five wins. Rabiu Ali opened the scoring in the third minute. Olakunle Alaka doubled the lead 30 minutes into the game with a precise finish, consolidating Pillars’ advantage. The Oga Boys fought back in added time of the first half when Joseph Arumala met Folarin’s corner at the…