Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has embarked on a new chapter in his football journey, joining Future of Africa FC, a Gauteng Development League side, as their new goalkeeper coach.
The 39-year-old, who enjoyed a successful playing career with South African clubs like Chippa United and Marumo Gallants, brings vast experience and leadership to his new role.
Akpeyi, who represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and earned multiple caps for the national team, holds a CAF D License and has long expressed a passion for youth development.
“I’m excited to help young goalkeepers grow into confident, modern players who understand the game both technically and tactically,” Akpeyi said.
Widely respected for his composure, reflexes, and professionalism during his playing days, Akpeyi’s appointment has been well received by South Africa’s football community — many of whom believe his international experience will be invaluable in nurturing the country’s next generation of goalkeepers.
The Ghana Embassy in Nigeria has paid a solidarity visit to Barau FC midfielder Nana Abraham, who recently suffered a neck injury during a violent incident in Kano.
The player, who was initially hospitalized, has since been discharged and is recuperating at home. The Embassy’s delegation described his recovery as “a welcome development” and lauded the medical team for their swift response.
During the visit, Embassy officials assured that they would continue to monitor Abraham’s condition and maintain close contact with Barau FC’s management.
Visibly in good spirits, Abraham expressed gratitude to both the Ghanaian officials and his club for their support. Barau FC also reaffirmed its commitment to player safety while calling on football authorities to strengthen security at all league venues to prevent future occurrences.
Arsenal must shut out external noise and stay grounded, with the Londoners leading the Premier League title race by four points after 11 games, forward Bukayo Saka has said.
Arsenal have 26 points after eight wins and two draws, having been held 2-2 at Sunderland last weekend, with Manchester City closing the gap following a 3-0 home win over Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta’s team have conceded only five league goals so far but Saka said they were not getting ahead of themselves.
“We just have to win every game, that’s the mentality we go into the game (with) and see where it leaves us,” he told talkSPORT.
“We cannot get carried away with what people are saying, because one day they say something and the next day they say something else.
“People’s opinion about us changes like the weather. The most important thing is our dressing room, and the foundation and the belief we have in ourselves.”
Arsenal have come second for three straight seasons under Arteta, falling short in 2022–23 and 2023–24 before finishing further behind last year, a sequence of misses that has left them still chasing their first league crown in two decades.
They next host fifth-placed arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur on November 23 following the international break.
South Africa plans to bid for the 2036 or 2040 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the government said, aiming to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting events to Africa for the first time.
The country was the first on the continent to host the football World Cup in 2010.
“South Africa initiates its intention to bid for the 2036 and 2040 Olympic Games,” minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said in a press briefing.
She said Pretoria had entered into “continuous dialogue with the International Olympic Committee”, headed since June by Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry.
It is as a “preliminary and exploratory engagement that is critical to advance South Africa’s intention to bid for the hosting rights of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Ntshavheni said, without specifying the potential host city.
Cape Town had bid to host the 2004 Games, which ultimately went to Athens in a 1997 vote.
Ntshavheni said South Africa wouldn’t require significant investment to improve its already available infrastructure.
“Even if we are offered the games tomorrow, cabinet is confident that we should be able to host them with our facilities,” she said.
In a visit to South Africa in October 2024, former IOC president Thomas Bach had said the country had “the stability, the infrastructure and vision to stage an Olympics”.
Senegal’s Dakar will next year be the first city on the continent to host the Youth Olympics, from October 31 to November 14, 2026.
The next Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles in 2028, and the 2032 Games have been awarded to Brisbane, Australia.
In October, Munich voters approved a plan for a bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2036, 2040 or 2044. The German city last hosted the Games in 1972.
South Africa has been putting its weight behind international sporting events, and has bid to host a Formula One Grand Prix at its historic Kyalami track near Johannesburg from 2027.
Africa’s most industrialised economy is also the main organiser of the 2027 men’s Cricket World Cup.
The air in Accra crackles with quiet tension, the kind that only champions can command. And at the heart of this Nigerian storm stands one man, Engineer Bright Idahosa, the newly elected President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), whose leadership has turned words into weapons and conviction into currency.
Under his watchful eye, Team Nigeria’s presence at the 2025 World English Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC) is nothing short of a national statement, bold, brilliant, and beautifully intimidating.
“The weight of over 200 million Nigerians is on our shoulders here in Accra,” Idahosa declared, his voice a mix of burden and belief. “There is no margin for error.”
For Idahosa, this championship is more than a contest of tiles, it is the opening chapter of a new era for Nigerian Scrabble, one defined by purpose, pride, and power.
He has been, quite literally, burning the candle at both ends to ensure that Nigeria’s story in Accra is not only victorious, but unforgettable.
Support flows from every corner, individuals, corporate bodies, and the National Sports Commission, yet Idahosa, like Oliver Twist, wants more. More backing, more belief, more bite.
His energy has infected the entire federation. From the technical savvy bench to the players, Nigeria’s campaign in Accra feels like a crusade for glory.
In this charge, he is not alone. Heavyweights like Engineer Ojior Osikhena, a rare blend of competitor and motivator and eight other board members including Engineer Olobatoke Aka, Dipo Akanbi, Khaleel Adedeji, Hakeem Olayiwola Olaribigbe, Sani Ladan, Engineer Gbenga Ojofeitimi, and Vice President Lovejoy Ogbuokiri Ezinna, have created an unbreakable spine of leadership and solidarity.
The very powerful Lekki Scrabble Club has a strong delegation led by its President Samuel Anikoh.
Charles Uzamere playing in the side event – Sika and Nsikan Iyanam who advanced into the elite division through the Last Chance Qualifier are part of the Lekki Scrabble Club family in Accra to add some fillips to Team Nigeria.
At the opening rally, Adedeji’s words rang through the Nigerian camp like a war drum:
“Every tile you place, every word you form, and every point you earn carries the hopes and pride of millions back home. You are the face of excellence, resilience, and the Nigerian spirit on the world stage.”
And that spirit, fierce, faithful, and fearless, is what Coach Prince Anthony Ikolo is banking on.
“We’ve done our homework,” Ikolo said, brimming with quiet confidence. “We’ll smile back to Abuja with the diadems, in both team and individual categories God’s willing.”
From the experienced hands of Oluwatimilehin Doko, Africa’s current No.1, to the young talents making their WESPAC debut, the message is clear, Nigeria has come not to participate, but to dominate.
Former NSF President Engineer Olobatoke Aka, now an elder statesman of the sport, he is convinced that this is Nigeria’s hour of glory.
Twenty green-and-white warriors have stepped onto the global stage, each one carrying a piece of the nation’s dream. And as they battle in the Gateway to Africa, it’s Bright Idahosa’s vision that lights the way, a vision of unity, integrity, and triumph.
“Because when Team Nigeria plays, it’s not just Scrabble. It’s spelling out destiny, one word at a time,” the Edo State-born sports administrator concluded.
Heartland Football Club of Owerri have been officially cleared of all outstanding debts that had previously threatened their participation in the 2025-26 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
The cheering news comes ahead of their weekend’s fixture against Crown FC of Ogbomosho at the Soun Township Stadium, following the decisive intervention of the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, whose support made the full clearance possible.
It will be recalled that the debts were incurred before the advent of the present club administration, and had posed a major obstacle to the team’s registration and smooth operation in the new league season.
Speaking on the development, Heartland FC Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke, expressed profound gratitude to Governor Uzodimma for his unwavering support and commitment to the progress of the club.
“We are deeply grateful to His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, for coming through for Heartland FC once again. His intervention has brought relief and renewed motivation to the entire team. We can now fully focus on our football and deliver the results that will make Imo people proud,” Amuneke
He also reaffirmed the club’s commitment to transparency, professionalism, and accountability as the Owerri side embarks on the new campaign.
Heartland FC, who were on the brink of being disqualified due to the inherited debt burden, now have the all-clear to compete in the Nigeria National League this season, and the team is in high spirits ahead of their clash with Crown FC.
Former Watford FC captain Troy Deeney has voiced his surprise over Victor Osimhen’s decision to play in the Turkish Super Lig, saying a striker of his pedigree should be competing at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Osimhen, who left Napoli for Galatasaray — initially on loan before sealing a permanent deal — has continued to dominate in front of goal in Turkey, maintaining the form that made him a household name in Serie A.
Speaking on CBS Golazo, Deeney wondered why top European clubs had not moved for the Nigerian forward.
“Victor Osimhen is one guy we can never really understand. Why is he in Turkey? Why isn’t he at a big club? For me, you always need a natural goalscorer in your team,” Deeney said.
Despite the debate surrounding his move, Osimhen’s consistency and lethal finishing continue to earn him admiration — and potential suitors — across Europe.
Nigeria’s fast-rising sprint star Oyibu Success has taken a significant leap in her athletic career after signing with Baylor University, one of the top institutions in U.S. collegiate athletics.
The teenage sensation, who boasts impressive personal bests of 11.42s in the 100m and 23.56s in the 200m, has been one of the standout performers on the African junior circuit. Her golden run in the 200m and silver finish in the 100m at the CAA U-18/U-20 African Championships caught the attention of global scouts.
At Baylor, Success will join a rich tradition of elite sprinters who have developed into world-class athletes under the school’s famed track and field program.
Indeed, with a name like hers, Success seems destined for greatness — and her next chapter in the United States could be the beginning of an illustrious international career.
Dakkada FC of Uyo has officially withdrawn from the 2025-26 NNL season following an unresolved disagreement with the League Board over their conference placement.
The Akwa Ibom-based club, which recently underwent a change in management and transitioned to private ownership, had written to the NNL requesting to be placed in Conference B — the same group that includes their city rivals, Akwa United. However, the League Board reportedly declined the request, citing the need to preserve the competitive and structural integrity of the league.
A senior source within the NNL Secretariat confirmed the development, stating that Dakkada’s withdrawal was a direct consequence of their insistence on being grouped with Akwa United.
“The team wrote to us informing that they now have new management under private ownership, which was not a problem for us,” the source revealed. “But they insisted on playing in Conference B. When we turned down the request to maintain fairness and balance in the league, they opted to pull out. The League Board has accepted their decision because we do not want anything that would undermine the credibility of the NNL.”
Dakkada’s exit comes just days after the club unveiled their new head coach, Emmanuel King, in what was initially seen as a sign of renewed ambition under their revamped management. King, who previously handled FC One Rocket in the NNL, had expressed optimism about restoring Dakkada’s competitive spirit and rebuilding the team’s identity.
“I’m here to help Dakkada FC rediscover its identity and compete with belief,” King had declared during his unveiling. “The goal is to build a winning mentality from day one.”
He was to be assisted by Godwin Effiong as part of the club’s new technical setup, and the team had been scheduled to open their campaign away to Beyond Limit FA in Ikenne.
Dakkada FC, formerly known as Akwa Starlets, rose from being a feeder team to Akwa United before gaining promotion to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) in 2016. The club adopted the name “Dakkada FC” to reflect a new identity rooted in Akwa Ibom’s developmental mantra, “Dakkada,” meaning “Rise Up.”
However, after suffering relegation from the NPFL in the 2021/2022 season, the club’s fortunes continued to wane amid administrative challenges and ownership transitions.
Their withdrawal from the NNL marks a significant setback not only for Akwa Ibom football but also for the league, which now faces the task of adjusting its fixtures and addressing potential disciplinary implications.
The NNL Board is expected to issue an official statement in the coming days outlining the next steps, including possible sanctions and how Dakkada’s withdrawal will affect the 2024/2025 fixtures.
Out of 129 elite players from 28 nations, Nigeria’s 20-man contingent made their presence felt early, with six Nigerians muscling their way into the Top 20 on Day 1.
Leading the charge is Bayelsa’s Timi Woko, who finished the opening day undefeated with a perfect 7–0 record, sitting comfortably at the summit of the global leaderboard.
Behind him, a trio of Delta State born wordsmiths, George Ezinore (4th ), Godwin Victor (8th ), and Rex Ogbakpa (10th ), kept Nigeria’s flag flying high, while Oluwatimilehin Doko of Ogun (11th ) and Chinedu Thorpe of Anambra (16th ) rounded off the nation’s dominant showing.
It was a statement of intent—loud, deliberate and unmistakable.
The Palms by Eagles Hotel in Accra was buzzing as over 250 of the world’s finest players gathered for what has been dubbed the “Battle of Brains and Vocabulary.”
With categories like the Akwaaba Challenge, Sika Gold Challenge, and the flagship WESPAC Main Event, the week-long championship promises to test wit, composure, and sheer intellectual stamina.
But it was Nigeria the continental powerhouse that grabbed the early headlines. The Green-and-White delegation, known for their methodical preparation and decades-long dominance in global Scrabble, didn’t just show up, they took over.
As other nations watched in awe, Nigeria’s contingent—composed of 15 national qualifiers and five late entrants who fought through the Last Chance Qualifier, played with clinical precision, showing that every tile counts and every move tells a story.
Day 1’s top 20 featured players from 12 countries but none matched Nigeria’s depth. Singapore, Ghana, and South Africa managed two players each, while global heavyweights like the U.S., U.K., and Canada were reduced to lone flag-bearers.
For Nigeria, it wasn’t just about points on a board, it was about pride, legacy, and reminding the world that when it comes to Scrabble, Africa’s heartbeat nation reigns supreme.
At the opening ceremony, Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, declared Scrabble a “celebration of intellect and language,” while pledging to integrate the mind sport into Ghana’s education and wellness programs.
The ceremony glittered with dignitaries and international Scrabble officials, but it was the Nigerian players, focused, calm and quietly confident, who stole the whispers of admiration in the room.
As the championship enters Day 2, all eyes are on Team Nigeria.
