Author: Abdulgafar Oladimeji

Spain, Germany jumps top on FIBA Women’s Ranking Reigning World Champions USA posted a perfect 6-0 record and now sit above the 1,000-point mark in the rankings. Runners-up France also enjoyed an impressive tournament, recording five wins with strong margins. USA have extended their lead over France, while Les Bleues have created a safety cushion over the teams behind them. Spain have climbed onto the podium after claiming the Bronze medal in Berlin, making an impressive three-place jump. Women’s World Cup hosts Germany are the great winners of this ranking update. They recorded the largest gain in the Top…

2027 Women’s World Cup schedule is out The 2027 Women’s World Cup schedule is now released, and the tournament draw is just a few months away, excitement is building for one of next year’s most anticipated sporting events. A total of 18 countries have already qualified.

WAFU-B U17 Girls Cup: Nigeria’s  Flamingos soar 4-2 over  Ghana Black Princesses    Nigeria’s U17 girls, the Flamingos, continued their impressive run at the ongoing WAFU-B U17 Girls Championship with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Ghana’s Black Princesses in Yamoussoukro on Friday. After a cagey opening with several missed chances, the Flamingos found their rhythm after the cooling break with improved coordination and control. The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when Oluwakemi Adegbuyi broke the deadlock with an excellent finish to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead. Captain Harmony Chidi then doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time to ensure the Flamingos went into…

AFCON 2027 Race: Chelle unleash Ndidi, Osimhen, Iwobi, 21 others on Madgascar Head Coach Éric Chelle has listed captain Wilfred Ndidi, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defender Semi Ajayi, midfielder Alex Iwobi, forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon in his 24-man roster for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea Bissau, both within the next 12 days. The Super Eagles host Madagascar’s Barea at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday, 25th September, before flying to Bissau to take on the Wild Dogs in a Day 2 encounter on Tuesday, 29th September. Chelle has also…

All set for FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan The FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026 is set to get under way with the first matches to be played from 24 October 2026 in Azerbaijan, offering FIFA Member Associations of all sizes and with varying football traditions the opportunity to participate in a competition on the global stage. This inaugural edition will pave the way for FIFA to establish the competition as a fixture of the international game, with the first girls’ tournament scheduled for next year. Both girls’ and boys’ tournaments are then planned to…

SPORTS AND SPIRITUALITY : WHEN TALENT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE ENOUGH. THE QUESTIONS NIGERIAN FOOTBALLERS ASK By Pastor Joseph Andishu There is a question many young Nigerian footballers ask quietly, even when they do not say it out loudly: “Is talent really enough?” A boy can dribble better than his classmates, score goals every weekend and attract the attention of coaches and local scouts . He can be faster, stronger and more skillful than the players around him. Yet, as he gets closer to serious football, another belief can begin to grow inside him: Something else is needed. For some, that…

Ahead AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Cote d’Ivoire begin to  rebuild , injects eight  fresh legs to national squad Hervé Renard has named eight new faces in his first Cote d’Ivoire squad since returning as head coach, signalling the start of a new cycle for the Elephants ahead of their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign. The Frenchman has selected a 25-man squad for the opening qualifiers against Ghana and Somalia, followed by an international friendly against Cameroon. Youngsters Patrick Zabi, Eddy Doué, Amadou Koné, Malick Yalcouyé, Christ Tapé and Kassoum Ouattara are among the newcomers, while forwards Yann…

FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Falconets confront Lionesses of England for quarter-final spot Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, will be aiming to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup when they face England’s Young Lionesses on Thursday at the Stadion Miejski in Bielsko-Biała, Poland. The Round of 16 clash presents Nigeria with another opportunity to advance in the competition and continue their pursuit of a deep run at the tournament. The Falconets booked their place in the knockout stages in emphatic fashion, thrashing New Caledonia 10-1 in their final Group F fixture.…

NFF thank CAF for restoring     A license coaching course back to Nigeria The Nigeria Football Federation on Wednesday re-launched the CAF A-License Coaching Course, marking a significant milestone in the development of coaching education in Nigeria. The ceremony, held in Abuja, brought together top officials of the Federation, facilitators, and participants drawn from across the country. In his remarks, Acting General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, expressed profound appreciation to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its support in reviving the elite coaching programme. “I want to, on behalf of the NFF, appreciate CAF for…

FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Falconets punish New Caledonia 10-1, qualify for round of 16 Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, responded in emphatic fashion on Sunday afternoon with a 10-1 victory over New Caledonia in their final Group F match at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. The result at the Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łòdź secured progression to the Round of 16 and marked the team’s largest winning margin in the tournament to date. Winner Onajite David led the scoring with a hat-trick in the 60th, 75th and in added time of the second period. Additional goals came from Ramotalahi Kareem in the 64th minute, Rebecca…