The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on the Crocodiles of Lesotho on Matchday 9 of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nigeria currently sits third in Group C with 11 points from eight games, trailing joint leaders Benin Republic and South Africa by three points. Their qualification hopes were boosted after FIFA penalized South Africa, deducting three points and goals for fielding an ineligible player against […]
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, popularly known as the Flamingos, are preparing to embark on a crucial journey as they depart Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday to begin their final preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. This marks a significant milestone for the team as they aim to make a strong impact on the global stage, building on their past performances and striving […]
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup preliminary qualifier between South Africa and Lesotho on March 21, 2025. FIFA ruled that SAFA's actions violated Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations. Consequently, the match has been forfeited in favor of Lesotho, […]
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has yet again reiterated that Nigeria’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a “dream” that must be realized. In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) page, the President stated that no African country has hosted the Games, and staging the 2030 edition in Nigeria would send a “powerful message” that the continent is central to the Commonwealth’s future. Commonwealth Sports president, Donald […]
LaLiga president, Javier Tebas, has claimed that Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal was denied the 2025 Ballon d’Or because of his age. Tebas has however expressed his optimism that Yamal will soon win the award. Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain finished top in the Ballon d’Or voting this year, with 18-year-old Yamal as runner-up. Yamal however went home with the Kopa Trophy for best young player, a prize he has now […]
Ousmane Dembele moved from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona in 2017 for an initial fee of €105m (up to €147m with add-ons). The 20-year-old had just helped Dortmund win the German Cup in May 2017, scoring the opening goal in the final. Barcelona gave him Neymar’s old No.11 shirt and hailed him as a future star. He made a memorable debut by creating a goal as a substitute, but in his […]
The Ballon d’Or, presented by France Football since 1956, is football’s longest-running individual honour. Conceived by the magazine’s writers, the prize has changed format and eligibility over time — originally for Europe-only players, opened to all players active in Europe in 1995, and global in 2007. In 2018, France Football expanded the honour with the Ballon d’Or Féminin, ensuring women’s football also takes centre stage. Here’s the complete list of […]
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped by one spot in the September edition of the FIFA World Football Ranking to be the world’s 45th-placed team. In the ranking table on the website of the football governing body, Nigeria garnered 1483 points in the month under review as against 1484 points it had at the last ranking in July. At the continental level, Nigeria placed 6th behind Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Cote […]
FIFA has launched disciplinary proceedings against the South African Football Association (SAFA) and midfielder Teboho Mokoena for allegedly fielding the player while under suspension in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Mokoena featured in South Africa’s 2–0 win over Lesotho on 21 March in Polokwane despite being ineligible after receiving yellow cards against Benin in November 2023 and Zimbabwe in June 2024 — a sequence that should have triggered […]
