Author: Peter Noah KC

NIGERIA Football Federation (NFF) President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, on Thursday, expressed concern over Nigeria’s exclusion from the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. He described Nigeria’s exclusion from the championship as a big blow to the country’s football development, which calls for urgent steps to address the problem. Gusau, who was represented by NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, at a two-day workshop organised for chairmen and chief operating officers of Nigeria’s football leagues and premier league clubs, said: “FIFA just came up with the Club World Cup, and four countries are representing Africa. Unfortunately, Nigeria is not among them.…

REMO Stars and Rivers United are poised to represent Nigeria in the upcoming 2025/2026 CAF Champions League, according to the latest qualifying updates compiled by Agence France-Presse and reported by The Guardian. Nigeria, ranked among the top 12 African footballing nations by CAF, retains its right to two slots in the premier continental competition. As it stands, Remo Stars and Rivers United are in pole position to fill those berths, having emerged as front-runners in domestic competitions. The CAF Champions League remains Africa’s flagship club tournament, and qualification is fiercely contested across the continent. This newspaper reports that the list…

A BRACE from Rashidat Ajibade was all the Super Falcons of Nigeria needed to earn a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in a friendly international on Tuesday. Nigeria took the lead in the 28th minute of play at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State, when Ajibade won a penalty and converted the same. The Super Falcons pressed on, threatening the Cameroonian defence as Ajibade, who recently left Atlético Madrid, pushed for Nigeria’s second. But the Central African held them out, barely surviving. Two minutes before halftime, it was Nigeria who, expectedly, scored another goal.…

THE Super Eagles of Nigeria will face Russia in an international friendly this Friday with a significantly reshuffled squad, following a string of injuries and withdrawals that forced changes to Head Coach Eric Chelle’s original list. First-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was never scheduled to make the trip due to burial rites for his late parents. However, the goalkeeping department remains stable, with Maduka Okoye of Udinese and Amas Obasogie of Tanzania’s Singida Blackstars set to compete for the starting spot. In defence, team captain William Ekong and Bright Osayi-Samuel lead the group in Moscow, alongside Unity Cup participants Bruno Onyemaechi,…

WHEN the Nigerian boxer who died while fighting in Ghana, Gabriel Olanrewaju, slumped and lost consciousness in the boxing ring in March, his 22-year-old wife, Adebusola Olanrewaju‘s life came crashing down. The Secretary-General of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC), Remi Aboderin, revealed that they had permitted the 40-year-old boxer to fight a day before his death. The fight was cancelled after he was adjudged overweight for the round. Another fight was, however, scheduled for the following day, and Olanrewaju participated in it. It was during this fight that he lost his life, leaving behind his young wife and…

CHRISTANTUS Uche converted the winning penalty as Nigeria beat Jamaica 5-4 in a shootout to win the Unity Cup, defending the title they won 19 years ago. The friendly tournament was hosted at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium and staged for the first time since 2004, when the Super Eagles first got their hands on the trophy. They did so again here, as after a 2-2 draw in normal time the shootout began with six perfect penalties. Jamaica’s Dwayne Atkinson then stepped up and smashed his effort off the top of the bar and over. Amari’i Bell made no mistake with…

THE Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to rekindle a decades-old rivalry with the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica in a pulsating Unity Cup Invitational Tournament final at the Gtech Community Stadium in West London this Saturday. Having clinched the title in the only previous edition of the tournament in 2004, Nigeria will be looking to retain their crown against a Jamaican side just as hungry for glory. This year’s edition of the Unity Cup has been about more than just football—it has succeeded in uniting diverse communities across the United Kingdom through sport, culture, and shared celebration. The tournament has…

TEAM Delta has been named the overall winner of the 22nd National Sports Festival held in Ogun State. The event, called “Gateway Games 2024,” was officially opened by President Bola Tinubu on May 18. Bayelsa team secured second place with Ogun finishing third. Enugu State will host the 2025 Gateway Games. Delta State won 109 gold, 75 silver, and 87 bronze medals. The Executive Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Onoriode Oborevwori, dedicated the win to the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, as part of the celebrations for his two years in office. “This victory is for His Excellency, Rt.…

THE Ogun State Government has described as regrettable the protest staged by some athletes representing the state at the ongoing National Sports Festival over delayed allowances. It said those who protested did so in error as it was a clear case of impatience. In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, the government expressed its disappointment, stating that the protest was inconsistent with the values and objectives the state upholds. He noted that the athletes acted out of impatience, as all necessary arrangements had been concluded for the payment of their…

THREE African football legends – Samuel Eto’o, Emmanuel Adebayor and Jay-Jay Okocha – took to the pitch in Somalia on Tuesday for an exhibition match aimed at restoring the country’s image. The three superstars were part of a FIFA-backed “peace tour” that Somalia hopes will help it once again host international fixtures. Somalia has been in a state of near-constant internal conflict since 1991, and its national team has had to play matches mostly in neighbouring Djibouti. The national stadium in Mogadishu, the capital, was heavily damaged after being used as a base by Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab insurgents from 2008 and…

THE 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League season ended in dramatic fashion on Sunday, as Heartland and Akwa United were officially relegated following a 2–1 win for the Naze Millionaires over their visitors in Owerri, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The final day encounter between the two former champions turned out to be a battle for survival neither could win in the end, as results elsewhere consigned both teams to the drop. Heartland came into the clash needing not only a win but favourable outcomes in other fixtures to stand a chance. Akwa United, likewise, were desperate to avoid the drop just…

DAMILOLA Pedro, Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria esports Federation, has stated that E-Sports has the potential to drive the growth of the sports economy in the country. This statement follows eSports’ historic debut at the 22nd National Sports Festival, branded the Gateway Games. In a statement issued by Kola Daniel, Special Assistant to the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Pedro emphasised that eSports was not present at the Gateway Games merely to fill spaces but to add substantial value to the event. “Today, at the National Sports Festival Gateway Games 2024, we are not simply introducing…

GERMAN-BORN defender, Felix Agu, has officially been cleared by FIFA to represent Nigeria in international competitions. The announcement was made through an official statement on the Super Eagles’ Facebook page on Saturday. Following the confirmation, the 24-year-old Werder Bremen player is now eligible to don the green and white jersey. According to the post, the German Football Association has provided formal confirmation that Agu has never featured in an official match—senior or junior—for Germany. His only appearances came in two friendly matches for the Germany U21 team back in 2019, leaving the door open for a nationality switch. “Felix Nnaemeka…

FIVE-TIME world champions, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, have booked their place in the semi-finals of the football event at the ongoing 2025 National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Abdulmuiz Adeleke, who scored the opener in Golden Eaglets’ 2-1 victory over Edo State on Monday, was once again the star of the show, netting a brace in Friday morning’s emphatic 5-0 quarter-final demolition of Ebonyi State. Read Also: National Sports Festival a symbol of national unity- Obasanjo Mohammed Imrana, who was also on target in the win over Edo, got on the scoresheet again. Destiny Samuel and Emmanuel Ochigbo completed…

THE Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has formally congratulated Remo Stars Football Club on their 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title win, marking the first time the Ikenne-based side has clinched the domestic championship. FIFA President Gianni Infantino sent his message in an official letter to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Ibrahim Gusau. “By means of this letter, I am pleased to congratulate the new champions of Nigeria, Remo Stars FC,” Infantino wrote. “Their constant efforts and results throughout the season have paid off, resulting in this important title.” Infantino also acknowledged the role of the NFF…

TEAM Bayelsa is currently leading the medals charge at the 2024 National Sports Festival, taking place in Ogun State as the multi-sports event continues to gather momentum in Abeokuta, the capital city, and other centres across the state. The riverine state has amassed a total of eleven medals so far, consisting of seven gold, three silver, and one bronze medal. They are closely followed by Oyo State with one gold, one silver and one bronze medal, while Lagos State is next on the table with three gold, four silver and three bronze medals. Cross River State took an early lead…

ORGANISERS of the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State have assured athletes and officials of their safety following a gas explosion, which was reported around the Alake Sports Centre, the venue of handball event. The explosion, which occurred yesterday afternoon created panic around the area, with various states’ officials making enquiries about the safety of their team members. A pall of black smoke billowed around the building located behind the Alake Sports Centre. All players and officials around the venue were evacuated soon after the explosion occurred. No casualty was reported as men of the state fire service…

LAGOS State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that his administration will continue to use sports as a means of engagement, social inclusion, and a change agent. Sanwo-Olu stated this when he received the English Premier League trophy, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, on X. The trophy was officially presented to the governor by the Managing Director/CEO of Guinness Nigeria PLC, Girish Sharma, at the Lagos House, Marina, on Sunday. Speaking during the ceremony, Sanwo-Olu said that bringing the Premier League trophy to Lagos showed that “there is something positive about our followership, enthusiasm, and…

NIGERIA’s Flying Eagles have won the bronze medal at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after beating hosts Egypt on penalties. The game ended 1-1 after normal time. But the Flying Eagles won 4-1 following the spot kicks. The victory marked Nigeria’s fifth bronze medal and 14th top-three finish in U-20 AFCON history. Nigeria were hoping to finish strong after missing out on the final spot, however, Egypt’s Osama Omar struck early in the third minute to unsettle Aliyi Zubairu’s men. But Bidemi Amole restored parity for Nigeria shortly after the restart from a precise through ball from Divine…

NIGERIAN sprint sensation, Favour Ofili, delivered a historic performance at the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games on Saturday, breaking the world record in the women’s 150m with a sensational time of 15.85s (2.0m/s) at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, US. The 22-year-old became the first woman in history to run the event in under 16 seconds, shattering the previous mark of 16.23s set by Bahamian Olympic champion, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, in 2018. Ofili’s run headlined an impressive showing for Nigerians at the high-profile street meet, which featured top global athletes in a fan-friendly, open-air environment. World record holder and 100m hurdles star,…