The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • AFCON hopeful Uche admits Palace frustration

    AFCON hopeful Uche admits Palace frustration

    Super Eagles  AFCON hopeful Christantus Uche  has admitted been unhappy at Crystal Palace.

    On-loan from Getafe this season, Uche who is listed in the Super Eagles 54-man provisional list  for the upcoming  AFCON  2025 in Morocco,  has struggled for action under Palace manager Oliver Glasner.

    And he posted, stating: “It hurts when you go through something that kills you inside, but you have to act like it doesn’t bother you at all. (Keep believing and have faith in everything you do).

    Since arriving at Selhurst Park, Uche, has only played 12 games (394 minutes) across all competitions .

    Read Also: Chukwueze happy with life at Fulham

    Getafe president Angel Torres, meanwhile, stated last week they’re prepared to take back Uche in January.

    The Nigerian had signed a contract with a mandatory purchase option if certain conditions were met, which, as of today, “doesn’t look good”.

    Even so, Torres stressed that there is still “room” for circumstances to change, but he didn’t rule out the idea of ​​the striker returning to the Coliseum: “He’d be welcome back if he returns.”

    Should he return, the Getafe president has a very clear roadmap with the former Ceuta player. This would consist of “bringing him back again and selling him next year”.

  • Salim Lawal continues sizzling form in Europe

    Salim Lawal continues sizzling form in Europe

    Former Flying Eagles forward, Salim Fago Lawal, extended his impressive run this season by finding the net again for NK Istra 1961. In a dominant 5-1 away win over NK Osijek, Lawal scored Istra’s fifth goal.

    Istra tore Osijek apart, registering three unanswered goals in the first half and two more in the second. With Lawal’s contribution, Istra underlined their attacking depth and composure in front of goal.

    At just 22 years old, the Nigeria-born striker is among the attackers included in the 54-man provisional squad named by coach Eric Chelle ahead of the upcoming AFCON in Morocco.

    Read Also: Osimhen wants Onyedika at Galatasaray

    Lawal had previously gained attention with the Flying Eagles in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup — notably when the team eliminated hosts Argentina with a 2-0 victory in the round of 16 under coach Ladan Bosso.

    In the current 2025/26 campaign for Istra, Lawal has made 15 league appearances, starting 14 of those.

    He has scored three  league goals and provided two  assists, giving him a total of five goal contributions so far.

  • FLAM 2025 :Adekunle Ajasin varsity  edge UNILAG to win Abuja Moot

    FLAM 2025 :Adekunle Ajasin varsity  edge UNILAG to win Abuja Moot

    The 2025 Football Law Annual Moot (FLAM) has amplified calls for greater investment in legal education within the football ecosystem, particularly among clubs, managers, and academy owners.

     The event held in Abuja brought together leading sports lawyers from around the world to examine the legal challenges facing the industry, with a special focus on contractual stability in football.

    Organised by legal practitioner Pius C. Ndubuokwu, the conference—held under the theme “The Role of International Arbitral Tribunals in Maintaining Contractual Stability in Football”—placed a spotlight on the contractual vulnerabilities experienced by Nigerian players abroad.

    On the sidelines of the conference, the Football Law Annual Moot featured 44 universities from seven countries, progressing through three rigorous phases: a written brief competition, virtual oral rounds, and the grand finale.

    In a repeat of last year’s outcome, Adekunle Ajasin University and the University of Lagos—who met in the 2024 semi-finals—once again emerged as the top two teams in the 2025 edition.

    Both teams impressed the panel of arbitrators led by Georgi Gradev with their delivery, articulation, and command of sports law. Adekunle Ajasin University clinched the championship, earning a $1,500 cash prize, while the University of Lagos finished as runners-up with $1,000.

    Read Also: Chukwueze happy with life at Fulham

    Meanwhile, speaking at the conference, Ndubuokwu revealed staggering statistics on player transfers and rights abuses.

     “In the last 10 years, Nigeria has transferred about 17,200 players abroad. Of these, more than 30% have faced contractual violations. Shockingly, up to 80–90% of them are unaware their contracts were breached,” he said.

    He stressed that FLAM 2025 serves as a foundation for educating players on their rights, noting that poor legal awareness affects not just athletes but the entire football economy.

    “When players cannot protect their rights, it affects everyone—clubs, lawyers, agents. This programme addresses the core of contractual stability because contracts are the foundation of football. Clubs and academies invest heavily in scouting but often neglect the legal structures that are just as critical,” he added.

    Ricardo de Buen, a long-standing arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) with over three decades of experience in labour and sports law, reinforced Ndubuokwu’s concerns.

    He noted that many footballers lack knowledge of their rights and have limited access to legal support in their home countries.

     “Events like this will improve the capacity of local lawyers, enabling them to better support athletes and even clubs involved in international disputes. Strengthening legal defence for players will ultimately benefit the entire sector,” he said.

    The 2025 edition of FLAM underscored the pressing need for systemic reforms in football administration, starting with stronger legal frameworks and improved education for players, clubs, and practitioners across the continent.

  • Kwara rewards NYG medallists with educational  cash support

    Kwara rewards NYG medallists with educational  cash support

    Kwara State  has  celebrated its National Youth Games (NYG) heroes and heroines with a colourful reception in Ilorin on Friday  by gifting  cash awards to the parents of medal-winning athletes as education support.

    Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Executive Chairman of the State Sports Commission, Coach Bolakale Adisa Mogaji, said the gesture was a deliberate investment in the future of the state’s budding sports talents—both on and off the field.

    “We asked them to come with their parents because they are underage and cannot open accounts yet,” the Governor explained at George Innih Stadium. “This support is for school fees, uniforms, whatever boosts their education. It’s a form of scholarship.”

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    Kwara’s steady rise at the NYG formed the backdrop of the celebration. Once stuck around 19th  and 23rd  on the national table, the state has climbed impressively and was  fifth  at the most recent edition.

    The Governor’s representative hailed the athletes’ biggest-ever haul, noting that 21 out of the 26 sports Kwara competed in produced medals, an achievement he described as unprecedented. Over ₦8 million was distributed as incentives.

     “In the entire northern region, we are the only state seriously competing with the South-South and Southwest,” Mogaji said. “This token to their parents is to enhance their scholarship.”

    The event drew several government officials, including the Governor’s SSA on New Media, Olayinka Fafoluyi, who urged the youngsters to stay disciplined and focused.

    Governor AbdulRazaq also charged parents to nurture both academics and sports in their children. “They should read their books and still do sports. It builds their future.”

    Responding on behalf of the parents, Mr. Abdulsalam Abdullah,  praised the administration for recognizing the young athletes’ achievements and pledged continued support for sports growth in the state.

    With improved infrastructure and consistent investment, Kwara appears determined to cement its place among Nigeria’s youth sports powerhouses and these young medallists may just be the generation that takes them there.

  • Horvel Angels claim HerGame Girls Football Championship title

    Horvel Angels claim HerGame Girls Football Championship title

    Horvel Angels were crowned champions of the 2025 HerGame Girls Football Championship after defeating defending champions Fosla Academy 2–0 in a commanding final on Saturday at the Area 3 Sports Complex, Abuja.

    This year’s edition marked a major leap in scale and quality, expanding from an Abuja-only competition to a regional showcase featuring 16 teams drawn from across the North Central zone, providing a more competitive atmosphere and uncovered new levels of talent and technical depth.

    Horvel Angels set the tempo early, with Agatha John firing home a composed first-half finish following sustained attacking pressure. The contest was sealed in the second half when tournament revelation Lilian Odide delivered a clinical strike to secure the victory and prevent Fosla Academy from retaining their title.

    Read Also: Chukwueze happy with life at Fulham

    Earlier in the day, SIK Paragon of Jos clinched third place after a narrow 1–0 win over Generation Next, earning the bronze prize of ₦100,000. Runners-up Fosla Academy received ₦150,000, while champions Horvel Angels claimed the top prize of ₦250,000.

    In Individual accolades, Patricia Habila of Fosla Academy was named Most Valuable Player for her midfield brilliance, while Horvel Angels’ striker Lilian Odide finished as Top Scorer with six goals, concluding her superb tournament with the title-deciding strike. Flora Williams of SIK Paragon was voted Best Goalkeeper, having conceded just one goal.

    Horvel Angels head coach, Ogbada Atta, commended his team’s resilience and discipline.

     “The girls were exceptional from start to finish. They stayed disciplined, followed instructions and showed real hunger. Beating Fosla in a final is no small achievement. This win means everything to us.”

    Fosla Academy’s head coach, Christopher Igbuku, praised his players despite the loss.

     “We fought hard but Horvel were more decisive today. My players gave their all and I am proud of them. We will bounce back stronger. That is our tradition.”

    HerGame Foundation founder and tournament’s sole sponsor, Dr. Pat Ajuma Ayegba, expressed satisfaction with the championship’s growth and reaffirmed her mission to build a national platform for emerging female footballers.

     “HerGame is fulfilling its purpose of discovering, empowering and projecting the next generation of female footballers,” she said. “Every girl who played here has a future in the game, and we will keep expanding this platform nationwide.”

    The FCT FA board member and Head of Women’s Football Committee also acknowledged key supporters, emphasising the collaborative effort behind the tournament’s success.

     “HerGame is built on collaboration and genuine support. I deeply appreciate the Nigeria Football Federation for donating match balls, and we are grateful for the one million naira financial support from the Chairman of the House Committee on Sports. Their contributions strengthened the competition and showed that investing in girls’ football is a shared responsibility.”

    FCT FA Secretary and Head of the Organising Committee, Haruna Ilerika, praised the technical quality and overall execution of the event.

     “The level of organisation, officiating and talent on display shows how far HerGame has come in just its second edition. The standard was top-class.”

    With Horvel Angels lifting the 2025 crown and Fosla Academy taking second place, the HerGame Girls Football Championship continues to cement its place as one of Nigeria’s most impactful grassroots pathways for discovering and nurturing future stars of women’s football.

    Among the dignitaries in attendance were the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Hon. Kabiru Amadu; Hajiya (Dr.) Nafisa Shehu Mohammed, President of the Road Safety Officers Wives Association (ROSOWA); Hajiya Amina Sani-Zango-Daura, Head of Women’s Football at the Nigeria Football Federation; former NFF President and Founder of FOSLA Academy, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi; and FCT FA Secretary, Haruna Ilerika.

  • 2025 MTN/NLO Cup begins in Abuja today

    2025 MTN/NLO Cup begins in Abuja today

    The Bwari Stadium in Abuja is set to become a hub of intense football action today as JNR Danburan takes on Lapai FA in the highly anticipated 2025 edition of the MTN/NLO Cup.

    Over the next four days, eight fierce Nationwide League One teams will compete for the ultimate bragging rights to claim the prestigious MTN/NLO Cup, proudly sponsored by telecommunications powerhouse, MTN.

    Remember, Tudun Wada FC dominated the previous edition, impressively crushing Palm Syrup 7-2 to secure the title.

    Now, Dante FC is ready to assert its dominance as it aims to outmanoeuvre seven rivals: Galadima FC, HB FC, JNR Danburan FC, Lapai FA, Likeminds FC, Simoiben FC, and SI14 FC, all vying for the tournament’s grand prize.

    Olushola Ogunnowo, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Africa’s largest grassroots football league, spoke with NLO Media Channel in a brief conversation.

    Read Also: Osimhen wants Onyedika at Galatasaray

    “We have taken all necessary measures to ensure the successful hosting of the MTNNLO Cup, a key event on the Nationwide League One calendar.

    “The teams carefully selected by both the sponsor and the Secretariat will certainly demonstrate what NLO is capable of, particularly its track record of developing players for the national teams at all levels.

    “With our technology-driven operations and state-of-the-art equipment, the organization will continue to be one of the best in the world of developed football. NLO is committed to laying a strong foundation for football development in Nigeria.”

  • Igoche Mark to fete Lagos Legends at Abuja reception

    Igoche Mark to fete Lagos Legends at Abuja reception

    Lagos Legends Basketball Club will receive a rousing reception in Abuja  today, where top basketball benefactor and Mark D’Ball founder, Igoche Mark, is hosting a grand celebration in their honour.

    The ceremony follows the Legends’ sensational campaign in the abridged Nigeria Basketball Premier League, climaxing with their thrilling 74–72 triumph over Rivers Hoopers in the Final 4 showdown in Port Harcourt on November 24, 2025. The hard-earned victory not only secured the national championship but also booked their place in the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL).

    Read Also: Chukwueze happy with life at Fulham

    Mark, whose Mark D’Ball initiatives have become a backbone of basketball development in Nigeria, has extended an open invitation to fans, stakeholders, and the wider basketball community to celebrate the newly crowned champions.

    The Abuja reception is expected to attract senior NBBF officials, coaches, players, and prominent figures across the basketball landscape—coming together to salute a team whose resilience, discipline, and clutch performance produced one of the league’s most unforgettable finishes.

    For Lagos Legends, the achievement represents more than winning a title—it is a bold statement of intent. For Nigerian basketball, it is a moment of pride worth celebrating.

  • EPL: Palace beat Fulham to move up to fourth

    EPL: Palace beat Fulham to move up to fourth

    Crystal Palace left it late to secure a 2-1 victory away at Fulham and move up to fourth in the Premier League on Sunday while Brighton & Hove Albion were held to a 1-1 draw at home by West Ham United.

    Skipper Marc Guehi scored a late winner in the London derby to move Palace up to 26 points with their fifth away win of the season to sit a point above Chelsea in fifth. Fulham remain in 15th.

    “It is good (to be in the top four), we keep our feet on the ground, it is only one win against a really good side and we now focus on the next game,” Guehi said.

    “It was a tough game, Fulham are a very good side who create a lot of chances with the rotation they have out wide, so it was important we stayed in the game and stay together.

    “It is credit to the whole team, not me, as when everyone does their job it is easy.”

    Palace took the lead after Adam Wharton found Eddie Nketiah in the box and the striker produced a smart finish to beat goalkeeper Bernd Leno for his second league goal of the season.

    However, Fulham equalised in the 38th  minute when Harry Wilson played a sublime one-two pass with Raul Jimenez, turning at the edge of the box before pulling the trigger with the outside of his boot to beat Dean Henderson’s dive.

    Fulham thought they had turned it around when Emile Smith Rowe scored from a rebound but the goal was chalked off when replays showed Samuel Chukwueze had strayed offside in the build-up.

    Read Also: Osimhen wants Onyedika at Galatasaray

    With a draw seemingly on the cards, Palace scored in the 87th  minute from a corner when Guehi rose above the defence to head home the winner, with the captain celebrating in front of delirious Palace fans with his arms outstretched.

    Meanwhile, Brighton and West Ham shared the spoils after Jarrod Bowen’s stunning second-half goal for the visitors was cancelled out by Georginio Rutter’s equaliser in stoppage time.

    Bowen’s 73rd -minute strike gave West Ham a ray of hope but Rutter pounced at the death to deny the visitors three valuable points that would have taken them out of the relegation zone.

    The result leaves West Ham in 18th  place with 13 points, two behind Nottingham Forest, while Brighton moved up to seventh with 23 points.

    “It feels amazing for the first goal for the season. I am very happy but we only take one point so that is frustrating,” Rutter told Sky Sports.

    “I think West Ham are very good and they are very compact. We were waiting for them to make a mistake.”

    In a match played in driving rain and swirling winds, both teams managed to create chances in a goalless first half.

    West Ham nearly scored the opener in the second half when Bowen danced through Brighton’s defence before forcing a fine save from Bart Verbruggen, who then made a second save when Crysencio Summerville attempted an acrobatic volley.

  • FRSC Teams rule 2025 Ardova Handball Premier League in style

    FRSC Teams rule 2025 Ardova Handball Premier League in style

    The Indoor Sports Hall of the National Institute of Sports, Surulere, Lagos, erupted in celebration on Friday as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) teams — Safety Shooters and Safety Babes, were crowned champions of the Ardova Handball Premier League 2025, following an elaborate finale graced by members of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) board and top executives of Ardova PLC.

    The Ardova Handball Premier League 2025, which began with the first phase in Benin City months ago, before the second phase in Lagos which ends with a finale that the Executive Chairman of Ardova PLC, Dr. Abdulwasiu Sowami, ably represented by the Deputy Managing Director, Ardova PLC, Mrs Abiola Babatunde-Ojo, described as delightful to watch in her speech.

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    For Safety Shooters, it was a historic moment as they clinched the men’s title for the first time since 2020, completing a dominant campaign that saw them finish top of the table with 57 points from 20 matches while Safety Babes also etched their name deeper into Nigerian handball history, winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive women’s championship, reaffirming their status as the league’s most dominant team, not just in the women’s category but in the history of handball premier league in Nigeria.

    In the Men’s Safety Shooters finished the season in style, beating COAS Shooters 43–32 (20–10) to cap off a dominant outing in Phase 2.

    Their final-day victory ensured they remained clear at the summit with an impressive 18 wins, one draw, and one loss, totaling a superb goal difference of +214 after scoring 638 goals and conceding 424.

  • Egypt, Nigeria friendly moved to Dec. 16

    Egypt, Nigeria friendly moved to Dec. 16

    The friendly match between Egypt and Nigeria has been postponed to 16 December, Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Vice President Khaled El-Darandaly has said.

    The Pharaohs had been scheduled to face the Super Eagles on 14 December as part of both teams’ preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026.

    FIFA previously confirmed that players may leave their clubs to join national teams starting 15 December. The match was therefore moved to ensure the availability of key players, including Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah and Manchester City winger Omar Marmoush, for the Nigeria test.

    Read Also: NFF, Nigeria Police commit to greater safety and security measures in Abuja

    Seven-time African champions Egypt, seeking their first continental title since 2010, were drawn into Group B alongside South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

    The Pharaohs reached the final in both 2017 and 2021, losing to Cameroon and Senegal, respectively.

    On Monday, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan named a 28-man preliminary squad for AFCON, with the group assembling in Cairo on Wednesday for their final preparation camp.