2026 Women’s AFCON Race: Amazons of Benin succumb 0-2 defeat to Nigeria Forwards Chinwendu Ihezuo aand Esther Okoronkwo scored first-half goals to give reigning African champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons a 2-0 win over their Bénin Republic counterparts in the first leg of their 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture, first leg in Lome, Togo. The Super Falcons started strongly with Rasheedat Ajibade’s 6th minute lob over the Amazons’ goalkeeper Ogoun which was denied by the woodwork, while Folashade Ijamilusi’s strike two minutes later was parried away by Ogoun. The Beninise couldn’t hold on tight to their low block game plan as Deborah Abiodun weaved open a congested midfield with a pass…
Author: Abdulgafar Oladimeji
Abdulgafar Oladimeji
Abdulgafar Oladimeji is a sports writer with over two decades experience in the industry. As a reporter , he has worked with top major Nigerian newspapers, freelancer with newspaper and broadcast media organizations in Africa, Europe and America. He is a well travelled sports journalists reporting major sports events across the globe.
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Nigeria’s Sporting Decline: Our Failures And The Bed We Laid. – Kdo Permit me to join the train on the failed , and failing state of our nation’s sporting space – with a needle prick on football in mind mostly. “As you lay your bed, so shall you lie on it.” Few proverbs capture Nigeria’s sporting tragedy better than this. From the very beginning, successive governments and sports administrators have failed to show genuine commitment to sports development. What we witness today — declining performances, decaying facilities, and disillusioned athletes — is not accidental. It is the harvest of years…
We spend FIFA, CAF funds with integrity says NFF The Nigeria Football Federation finds it expedient to reiterate that the monies it receives from world football-governing body, FIFA and the continental governing body, CAF, like other Federations, are usually tied to specific purposes and not gifts to the Federations. The NFF said on Friday that this fresh clarification has become necessary in view of misinformation by some fellows on social media that the Federation ‘collects’ millions of dollars from FIFA on an annual basis, as if such monies were gifts to the Federation. The country’s football-governing body explained that every…
AFCON 2025: CAF shun Nigerian referees By Abdulgafar Oladimeji The Confederation of African Football, CAF has rolled out the list of referees that would be in action at the 2025 AFCON to be hosted in Morocco. The African football governing body has released the names of 101 referees that would be in action, no Nigerian referee features on the list. The list has sparked reactions from hundreds of thousands of Nigerians , who have continued to express their grievance over the now banal absence of Nigerian referees from continental football action. The reaction have continued to attribute the alleged poor …
Morocco to host FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 FIFA can confirm that the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 will now take place in Morocco, with the opening matches for the tournament now scheduled to kick-off on Sunday 26 October. The FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 will see the Afghan Women United team play their first match on the international stage, as well as Chad and Libya set to make their FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking debuts at the completion of the round-robin tournament. FIFA would like to thank the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) and looks forward to working together to…
FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025: Flamingos lose to France by lone goal The hopes of Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, advancing to the knockout stages of the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco became slim on Wednesday night, following the team’s 0-1 reverse against France – its second loss in as many games. Both teams played conservatively and created few chances in the first 45 minutes, defending robustly, with Nigeria making four attempts at goal, more than the French side who had three of their shots wide off the target. Nigeria’s clear chance came from Chisom Nwachukwu’s delightful set-piece, but France’s goalkeeper, Chevray Lauryne was right on the spot to tip it over the bar for a corner…
2026 Women’s AFCON ticket : Oshoala, Omewa, seven others arrives Lome Champions Nigeria will commence training sessions on Monday in the Togolese capital, Lomé ahead of their 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations final qualifying fixture, first leg match against their Béninoise counterparts, which will take place on Friday. Six-time Africa Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala was among the early birds in the Super Falcons’ Lomé camp, alongside new invitee Joy Omewa, as well as Turkey-based defender Tosin Demehin, China-based forward Folashade Ijamilusi, and the home-based quintet of goalkeeper Anderline Mgbechi, defenders Blessing Ilivieda and Miracle Usani, midfielder Taiwo…
SWAN confers fellowship award on sahel sports news editor, Abdulgafar Oladimeji The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN has honored the news editor, sahel sports news, Abdulgafar Olawale Oladimeji with the professional status of the Fellow of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, FSWAN. The association in a letter dated October 13, 2025, signed by the secretary general of the association, Amb. Ikenna Okonkwo said the recognition is given to Abdulgafar Oladimeji , for his outstanding professionalism and enduring service to the growth and strength of sports journalism in Nigeria. Amb. Ikenna said “ as a valued pioneer and pillar in…
Ahead FIFA World Cup draws in US: Spain, Argentina and Germany top FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking By Abdulgafar Oladimeji Reigning world champions Argentina surge back into second spot Germany return to the top 10 after a brief absence Niger, Faroe Islands and Lesotho among biggest climbers Following a thrilling round of 173 national-team outings that included FIFA World Cup 26™ qualifiers across five continents, and a flurry of friendlies, the October 2025 edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking serves up several eye-catching changes. Spain (1st) have strengthened their grip on top spot thanks to back-to-back victories, shoring up the…
US, Canada, Mexico FIFA world cup 26: Over one million tickets sold With 28 teams having already secured a spot at the FIFA World Cup 26™ and the whole world gearing up for what promises to be a watershed edition of FIFA’s flagship tournament, fans from 212 countries and territories of residence have already purchased over one million tickets following the closure of the Visa Presale Draw sales phase, which was launched in mid-September. Residents of the three host countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico, in that order – have been at the front of the queue, snapping…
