Author: Peter Noah KC

THE Super Eagles of Nigeria will open camp on Sunday, March 16, ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali, before facing Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Tuesday, March 25. Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has unveiled a 39-man provisional squad for this month’s crucial World Cup qualifiers. The squad includes a blend of experienced stars, such as Stanley Nwabali, William Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Olaoluwa Aina, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, and Simon Moses. Read Also: World Cup Qualifiers: Chelle slammed for including Musa, Iheanacho in provisional…

UMAR Sadiq continued his blistering form in front of goal, scoring his third straight goal as Valencia secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Real Valladolid at the Mestalla on Saturday. The Nigerian striker, who has now found the back of the net four times in his last four outings, also claimed the Man of the Match award for his performance. Sadiq’s impact has been undeniable since joining Valencia on loan in January. After breaking his duck against Osasuna, the former Almería man endured a blank against Atlético Madrid before bouncing back with a brace last weekend. His latest goal against…

NIGERIAN football legend Segun Odegbami has thrown his support behind the appointment of Eric Chelle as the Super Eagles head coach, acknowledging the 47-year-old Franco-Malian’s potential contributions to Nigerian football. Odegbami, who earned 46 caps and scored 23 goals for Nigeria—leading the team to its first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 1980—was initially among those who criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for appointing a non-Nigerian African coach. After meeting Chelle, NFF Secretary-General Muhammed Sanusi, and National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko, he changed his mind. Chelle made history in January by becoming the first non-Nigerian African…

FORMER Super Eagles player Odion Ighalo has shared his incredible journey of joining dream club, Manchesters United. Ighalo, a lifelong Manchester United fan, recounted the moment his agent informed him of the club’s interest in an interview with a Nigerian player, Rasheedat Ajibade. According to him, he was willing to accept a pay cut to fulfill his dream of playing for Manchester United. The Nigerian striker anxiously waited to see if Manchester United would select him as their loan striker. He prayed fervently for the opportunity to play for the club. After a two-day wait, Ighalo’s agent informed him that…

NIGERIA’s hope of luring Arsenal star, Ethan Nwaneri, to dump Three Lions for the Super Eagles could be about to go up in smokes with the English gaffer, Thomas Tuchel, set to name his squad for the forthcoming internationals next month. Nwaneri has been fantastic since gaining a regular spot in Arsenal’s lineup following the absence of the injured Bukayo Saka. He dazzled fans once again on Tuesday, scoring one goal in the Gunner’s 7-1 demolition of PSV in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. According to talkSPORT presenter, Adrian Durham, it would be a…

VETERAN forward Ahmed Musa has been called up to the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 must-win World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, returning to the team after almost a year of absence. The Kano Pillars player was named in the 39-man provisional squad which included the familiar, new faces and forgotten. Musa, who is Nigeria’s highest goalscorer at the World Cup and the team’s captain, was in the side that featured for the Super Eagles when they clinched silver at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) early last year. He did not, however, play any match. But he…

THE Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and Fulham have condemned the racist abuse against Calvin Bassey during Sunday’s FA Cup game against Manchester United. Bassey scored as Fulham played out a 1-1 draw with Man United in both regulation and extra time before going on to win 4-3 on penalties in the FA Cup fourth-round match at Old Trafford. The outstanding performance of the Nigerian defender was, however, marred by racist comments from some supporters on his social media account. This has now sparked a strong reaction from the NFF via a post on its official X account and from Fulham…

THE first Olympic sporting event to be held on African soil will take place in Dakar, Senegal, next year. It is the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026, which will run over two weeks from October 31, 2026, bringing together 2,700 of the best young athletes from around the world. The YOG will be held in three host sites (Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly), and are envisioned to serve as a catalyst to transform Senegal through sport, while also aiming to inspire new hope, opportunities and confidence among young people across Africa and become a blueprint for future YOG hosts. This…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu received the Nigerian-born American football player, Moro Ojomo, at the State House in Abuja. Hosting the 23-year-old American football player, Tinubu affirmed that the athlete’s Super Bowl moment and display of the Nigerian flag rekindled national pride. The President praised the athlete’s perseverance and emphasised his administration’s readiness to collaborate with diaspora talents to accelerate human capital development, especially in sports. “With the kind of focus that you have, you can mentor many youths and develop our cutlture” Tinubu told Ojomo during a meeting at the State House, Abuja. The defensive tackle, who recently led the Philadelphia…

EX-SUPER Eagles international, Jay Jay Okocha has dismissed Jamie Carragher’s comments about the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) pedigree, saying no father would want his son to have a football career as the former Liverpool man. Carragher landed himself in controversy after he suggested s that Mohamed Salah is disadvantaged in the yearly debate for the Ballon d’Or over his not being able to win a ‘major’ international tournament – in his eyes, the Euros, Copa America, or the World Cup with the Egyptian National team. “There are some players that will say something; you just overlook it. If you…

Orders Amaewhule To Resume Sitting With All Elected Assembly Members THE Supreme Court has barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation and other agencies from releasing funds to the government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court describes as flagrant disobedience to court orders. In a one hour, thirty-six-minute judgement delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Martin Amaewhule as the Speaker. In dismissing Governor Fubara’s…

FORMER Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has blasted ex-English star Jamie Carragher for dismissing the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a major tournament. Carragher while discussing Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or said the Egyptian is at a disadvantage because of his inability to win a major tournament. The former defender dismissed AFCON as a major competition. But that comment has ignited a barrage of criticisms, especially from Africa including Mikel who labelled Carragher’s comment as disrespectful. “It’s so disrespectful what he said, and this is coming from someone who never won any major international competition…

THE Nigerian football community is in mourning following the tragic death of former Wikki Tourists forward Abubakar Lawal who died in Uganda. The 29-year-old, who played for Uganda’s Vipers SC since his move from AS Kigali, reportedly fell from the third floor of Voicemall Shopping Arcade in Kampala under unclear circumstances. Lawal had visited a Tanzanian friend, Omary Naima, before the incident. He was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Lawal played as a centre forward and joined Vipers SC in July 2022. During his time at the club, he helped them win the Uganda Premier…

THE Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and Super Eagles star Ahmed Musa have called for an investigation into the death of footballer Abubakar Lawal who allegedly fell to death in Uganda. Lawal was reported dead on Monday with the Ugandan police saying the Sokoto-born player died after falling from a shopping mall. Hours after the sad incident, the Chairman of NiDCOM Abike Dabiri-Erewa described Lawal’s death as “suspicious”. “This is pathetic and appears suspicious. We demand a thorough investigation. No cover-up at all. This is so sad!” she wrote in a post on her X handle on Tuesday afternoon. “@nidcom_gov…

UGANDAN police said Monday they were investigating the mysterious death of Nigerian footballer Abubakar Lawal who fell from a shopping mall balcony in Kampala. The 29-year-old striker played for local premiership club Vipers. He fell from the third floor of Voicemall Shopping Arcade early on Monday, police said in a statement. He had been visiting a Tanzanian friend staying in one of the residential apartments that form part of the mall. The friend told police she had left him alone shortly before the fall. “Authorities are retrieving CCTV footage and conducting thorough interrogations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the…

THE Flying Eagles have secured two friendly matches with Ivory Coast following the cancellation of their planned games against Egypt. The matches are scheduled to be held on Wednesday 26 and Friday 28 in Abidjan. Flying Eagles team administrator, Aliyu Ibrahim, confirmed that the team would depart Abuja for Abidjan on Monday. The seven-time African champions have been in camp for weeks under head coach Aliyu Zubairu, who had initially called up 30 players for the cancelled Egypt friendlies. The matches against Egypt were called off after both teams were drawn in Group B of the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup…

THE clamour for inclusion of domestic league players into the Super Eagles squad may pay off soon following a declaration by national team coach, Eric Chelle, that he has seen some players with prospects of getting a national team call-up. The coach unveiled in January as Nigeria’s coach, watched the Ikorodu City’s match with Plateau United in Lagos as well as the Remo Stars’ encounter with Kwara United in Ikenne. He revealed to Sports Village Square that he has seen some players with prospects of getting call up to the Super Eagles. He said that in the Lagos match, he…

ITALY and Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has condemned manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s public attack on Nigeria international Ademola Lookman following Atalanta’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Gasperini publicly criticized the Nigerian over his penalty miss in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The Nigerian forward, who had missed Atalanta’s previous six matches due to knee problems, made an immediate impact after being introduced at halftime with his side already trailing 3-0, scoring within 42 seconds to give the Italian side hope of a comeback. However, when presented with a chance to further…

LIVERPOOL will take on Paris Saint-Germain in one of the standout ties in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League after the teams were paired together in Friday’s draw. Liverpool finished first in the 36-team league phase of the competition to qualify directly for this stage, while PSG had to come through a two-legged play-off tie in which they crushed fellow French side Brest 10-0 on aggregate. The first leg will take place at the Parc des Princes in Paris on March 4 or 5, with the return at Anfield a week later. The clubs last met in the…

SUPER Eagles coach Eric Chelle visited the Flying Eagles training camp in Ikenne Remo following his return from a European tour. The former Mali coach, who recently met with key national team players in Europe, observed training sessions and shared words of encouragement with the U-20 squad preparing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. Head coach Aliyu Zubairu has invited 30 players to camp ahead of the tournament scheduled for April 26 to May 18, where the seven-time champions will face Egypt, Morocco and South Africa in Group B. The Flying Eagles will be aiming to…