The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed Saturday, October 24th, as the new date for the CAF Champions League second preliminary round second leg encounter between Rivers United of Nigeria and Mozambique’s Associação Black Bulls.
The highly anticipated fixture will take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with kickoff scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. Mozambique time).
Meanwhile, CAF has also appointed Ivorian referee Kouassi Frederic Francois Biro to officiate the decisive match. He will be assisted by compatriots Prosper Adiouman (Assistant Referee 1) and Eba Médard Wenceslas Ettien (Assistant Referee 2), while Patrick Tanguy Jean Philippe Vlei will act as the fourth official.
Ghana’s Munkaila Nassam Adam has been designated as the match commissioner for the encounter.
The 25,000 -capacity Stade de Kégué in the Togolese capital, Lome is venue for Friday’s 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations final qualifying fixture, first leg match between 10-time champions Nigeria and their Beninese counterparts, known as Amazons, with the Cup holders seeking a comfortable win that will render the return leg in Nigeria on Tuesday a mere formality.
Head Coach Justine Madugu has a total of 19 players available for the encounter, and has promised his squad will go all out for the goals that will earn it the ticket to a defence of the title won in Morocco this summer. The Kingdom of Morocco will also host next year’s house party, where all semi-finalists will collect automatic qualification tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
“We have a team that will go out there and make us proud. Yes, we would have loved to have Jennifer (Echegini) but we do not and we can only pray for her to recover quickly.
“On Friday, we will go out and play our game and seek the goals that will put us in a good stead ahead of the return leg.”
With Echegini out, Madugu is likely to opt for US-based impresario Deborah Abiodun to start, alongside captain Rasheedat Ajibade and Christy Ucheibe in the middle, with Chiamaka Nnadozie (one of the best goalkeepers in the world) marshalling a defence-line of Michelle Alozie, Tosin Demehin, Osinachi Ohale and Ashley Plumptre.
In the fore, Madugu has Esther Okoronkwo (doubtless one of Nigeria’s impact players at this year’s Women AFCON), the push-full Chinwendu Ihezuo, six-time Africa Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala, new-face Joy Omewa and China-based Folashade Ijamilusi, who was also a delight as Nigeria won a tenth AFCON title in Morocco this summer.
Lionel Messi has agreed a contract extension with Inter Miami, according to Major League Soccer.
“Official: Leo Messi will continue to be an MLS player with Inter Miami,” the league’s Spanish language account on X said.
Inter Miami’s X feed posted a video of Messi signing a contract sitting at a table in the middle of the club’s new stadium, which is under construction, with the simple caption: “He’s Home.”
The Argentine superstar’s new contract will see him remain with Inter through the end of the 2028 season, sources with knowledge of the deal confirmed to AFP.
The 38-year-old World Cup-winner’s current contract expires at the end of the 2025 MLS season.
A new deal had been viewed as a formality after club sources told AFP last month that the franchise had reached an agreement on an extension.
Messi’s contract ensures he will remain in competitive action until and long after the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The tournament gets under way on June 11, with the final to be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
Messi moved to Inter Miami in 2023 after an unhappy spell at Paris Saint-Germain, but the bulk of his stellar career was spent at Barcelona, where he played from 2004 to 2021 after coming through the youth system at the Spanish giants.
At Barcelona, he won the La Liga title 10 times and lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy on four occasions.
In 2022, he led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar and has expressed a desire to try to retain the trophy next year.
He has scored 114 international goals and also won the Copa America twice with Argentina, in 2021 and 2024.
Messi could play at a sixth World Cup next year, which would set a new all-time record, although he could be matched by long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is also just three goals short of Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 career World Cup goals.
Argentina comfortably booked a spot at next year’s finals, finishing nine points clear at the top of the South American qualifying table.
Messi finished as the top scorer with eight goals, including a brace in what may have been his last competitive match on home soil against Venezuela two weeks ago.
He was named the MLS Most Valuable Player in the 2024 season even though Inter Miami were eliminated in the playoffs.
In 2025, he became the fastest player to reach 40 goals in MLS history.
This season, Messi has led Miami back into the playoffs after finishing in third place in the Eastern Conference.
He wrapped up Inter Miami’s regular season campaign with a superb hat-trick last Saturday in a 5-2 demolition of Nashville SC, leaving him with 29 goals from 28 matches to win MLS’s Golden Boot award.
An impressive contingent of four states governors, first-class Emirs top the list of esteemed dignitaries expected as special guest of honours as the ongoing 2025 Kaduna International Polo Tournament reaches its crescendo with pomp this weekend at the foremost Murtala Square in Kaduna.
Chief host and Kaduna Governor Senator Uba Sani is expected to lead the long convoy of the high profile dignitaries would include Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal and his Katsina State counterpart, Governor Dikko Radda.
The expected high profile delegation to the finale include top shots from the Presidency, members of the Nationals Assembly, business tycoons, members of the Diplomatic Corps and tourists from across the world.
Kaduna Polo Tournament Manager, Atiku Abubakar Saleh who dropped this hint during a chat in Kaduna , added that first class Emirs like the Emir of Katsina and Emir of Zazzau, are also expected during the grand finale alongside other first class traditional rulers from across the country .
Kaduna Polo President, Mohammad Babangida who had earlier promised an exciting and memorable tournament this year, stated that the international fiesta that galloped off with fanfare last Sunday, has lived up to its highly revered tradition, of pomp, excitement and competition.
Babangida who is eyeing his 16th Georgian Cup title with his El-Amin team, expressed appreciation to all the corporate sponsors, both traditional and news ones, partners and individual contributors for their support and commitment to making the 2025 Kaduna international tournament a huge success.
“On behalf of the board and management committee of Kaduna Polo Club. We thank the Kaduna State Government for its support to the development of polo over the decades and all our benefactors who have been a pillar of strength,” he noted. “Kaduna Polo Club is particularly thrilled that the governors of Niger, Katsina, Zamfara and others we are expecting during the grand finale have all been our big sponsors and partners in the task of taking Kaduna polo to a higher level.”
Kaduna Polo Vice President and Chairman of the emerging Nigerian polo power house, Kaduna Clearwater Farms, Brigadier General Kapeh Kazir, added that apart from the four major titles to be won at this weekend’s finale more winners are guaranteed to smile home with glittering prizes.
He listed the prizes to be presented during the closing ceremony this weekend to include General Hassan Katsina Cup, Sardauna Cup, Kere Ahmed Cup, Shehu Kangiwa Cup, Musa Yar’Adua Cup, Dangote Cup, among others.
The prestigious polo fiesta that attracted more than thirty top teams from across the country complete with top Nigerian polo patrons and a charged battery of foreign professional players is home to the oldest polo prize in the world, Georgian Trophy that remains the biggest prize on offer way back since 1919.
With top contenders like El-Amin. Clearwater Farm and other teams seeking for places in the final of the four main prizes and over ten subsidiary prizes on offer this weekend, Kaduna holds a special allure this weekend for thousands of polo enthusiasts across the country for what promises to be a grandiose finale.
Since the 2025 Kaduna polo event started last Sunday, one team that has been on the lips of polo enthusiasts across the country, is Kaduna El- Amin that is celebrating its 30th year anniversary of Georgian Cup dominance.
Widely recognized as one of Nigeria’s most dominant and successful polo teams, having won numerous tournaments and trophies both nationally and internationally. They hold the record for winning the prestigious Georgian Cup 15 times.
They are also the first and only African team to have participated in the Dubai Gold Cup series and the Al-Habtoor Cup Challenge in Dubai.
Their patron, Mohammad Babangida has played a significant role in Nigerian polo, captaining the Nigerian Polo Eagles to the Federation of International Polo World Cup tournament in Malaysia in 2011 and the Nations Cup of polo in South Africa.
First Bank’s sponsored Python Amateur Golf Open Championship has attracted 300 players from within and outside the country to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking at the Port Harcourt Golf Course, the Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Group, Olusegun Alebiosu, said the bank would also host the 65th edition of its Lagos Open Golf Tournament on 20th November.
He underscored the bank’s commitment to supporting sports development in the country emphasising the importance of sports in nation-building and societal development.
Alebiosu said apart from golf, the bank was also sponsoring other sporting events such as football, basketball, tennis and polo.
He said: “Golf is not about being rich. I started playing golf when I was a nobody. The basic thing is buying the club, and some of us started with second-hand clubs.
“It’s about sport and golf. At First Bank, we support sports across the country. Today is about golf, next week Sunday it will be about polo in Kaduna . We have been doing that for over a century.
“In November we are going to see golf in Lagos specifically that is about on the 20th where we are doing the 65th edition of our golf tournament in Lagos. It is called Lagos Open, players come all over the world to come and play in Lagos Open”.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr Raphael Onoshakpo, said the Port Harcourt Open was a seven-day competition produced winners, who received various gifts.
Onoshakpo attributed the growing interest in golf to the lockdown period, saying it saw a surge in people taking up the sport.
He noted that the Python Golf Club had become a major hub for golfing, with a full training facility that had churned out over 200 new golfers in the past.
As the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification campaign enters its critical stage, Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has found himself at the centre of mounting criticism over a perceived decline in form and composure. Once hailed as a revelation between the sticks, the 28-year-old Chippa United shot-stopper now faces scrutiny from former internationals and fans who believe complacency may have crept into his game, writes DANIEL OYEKAN
In Nigeria’s recent 2–1 victory over Lesotho at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s handling error allowed the Crocodiles to halve the deficit, and another moment of hesitation nearly cost the team a late equaliser.
Again, against the invading The Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Uyo, cameras captured him exchanging heated words with defender Calvin Bassey as the team walked off for halftime, a scene that drew concern from pundits. He also endured a difficult outing in the earlier tie against Rwanda, where lapses in communication raised questions about his concentration.
Former Super Eagles midfielder Edema Fuludu, a member of Nigeria’s 1994 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad, did not mince words in his assessment.
Fuludu described Nwabali as “complacent” and warned that his attitude could prove costly if unchecked.
“The man has become complacent. I don’t know what he’s thinking now or what he believes he has achieved so far,” Fuludu said in an interview with Sports Radio Brila FM. “Uzoho left, he came in and became the toast of Nigerians. Maybe he doesn’t understand that at this stage, we need total focus to get to where we want to be.”
Fuludu, who also played club football in Turkey with Altay in his heyday, believes that Nigeria’s qualification campaign has survived more on luck than cohesion in recent games.
“He could have cost us the game against Lesotho. He should be spoken to in a language he understands. Complacency has set in and he cannot continue like that,” Fuludu added, urging the coaching crew to intervene before public criticism escalates. “You know Nigerians; we don’t forgive easily.”
As Fuludu succinctly put it, “A tree does not make a forest.” The Super Eagles’ ambitions, he said, depend not just on individual brilliance but on unity, accountability, and professionalism values the team must rediscover if Nigeria hopes to secure its seventh FIFA World Cup appearance.
Echoing that concern, Mamelodi Sundowns legend and former Nigerian international Muisi Ajao warned that unchecked emotions could derail Nwabali’s promising career.
“I am astonished about his recent behaviour,” Ajao told The Nation. “He seems to have suffered a slump in form, and his anger issues are not helping. That could affect his relationship with teammates and the technical crew, and that’s not healthy for him. He needs to work harder on his ball handling and reflexes and forget about those unnecessary antics.”
Meanwhile, former Nigeria international Mutiu Adepoju also weighed in, calling for improved communication within the team’s defensive setup. He noted that the goalkeeper’s temperament and lack of synergy with defenders could undermine the Super Eagles’ chances of securing a World Cup spot.
“Nwabali needs to change his ways, all that communication breakdown and lack of composure might be what will stop us from getting what we want,” Adepoju said.
The criticisms mark a sharp turn in public sentiment for a player once celebrated as a national hero following his heroics at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where his penalty-saving brilliance helped Nigeria reach the final. Since then, expectations have soared and the spotlight, once warm, has grown intense.
With Maduka Okoye of Udinese now back from suspension, competition for the Super Eagles’ No. 1 jersey could intensify ahead of Nigeria’s next round of matches.
While many still believe in Nwabali’s talent, voices within the football community are united in their call for renewed discipline, humility, and focus.
For decades, Nigeria’s youth football structure stood as the pride of the nation — a model envied across the continent and beyond. From the Golden Eaglets’ record five FIFA U-17 World Cup titles to the Flying Eagles’ dazzling runs to the U-20 World Cup finals in 1989 and 2005, Nigeria once defined excellence at the youth level. Yet, the story today reads like a tragic reversal of fortune, write TUNDE LIADI and OLAMILEKAN ISRAEL
For the third consecutive edition, the Golden Eaglets — once synonymous with global dominance — have failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The Flying Eagles’ struggles are equally glaring, as nations like Ghana and Morocco have overtaken Nigeria in the youth hierarchy, with Morocco recently crowned U-20 world champions in 2025.
On the women’s side, the Flamingos and Falconets, who once offered glimmers of hope, have also faltered — their consistent podium dreams now reduced to occasional flashes of potential.
What went wrong? How did a country that once groomed future legends like Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala lose its footing so dramatically?
A top official of Golden Eaglets, who served during Nigeria’s triumphant campaigns in 2013 and 2015, believes complacency and poor planning have crippled the youth football system.
“It’s quite unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this position,” he lamented. “Winning used to be our birth-right. All we had to do was show up and take the trophy.”
He recalled how the Golden Eaglets’ past glories were built on meticulous long-term preparation and clear developmental pathways.
“In 2013, we began preparations as early as December 2011 in Calabar, and our first competitive match didn’t come until almost a year later. That’s how teams were moulded,” he explained. “But these days, camps are opened barely a month to qualifiers, leaving coaches scrambling to select and train players. That’s not how champions are built.”
He argued that Nigeria’s failure is not about a lack of talent but the absence of structure and consistency.
“Talent has never been our problem — preparation is. Those 2013 and 2015 squads had structure, motivation, and discipline. Today, we’ve replaced planning with fire-brigade approaches.”
The official also lamented the disappearance of incentive systems that once kept young players motivated.
“Back then, little gestures like showing the players their bonuses before games made them fight harder. These boys come from humble backgrounds; motivation matters. Today, that human touch is gone.”
Former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles player Taiwo Enegwea readily admitted that the decline stems from the shrinking window for preparation and grooming.
“During our era, we used at least a year, sometimes more, to prepare. Now, they have one month — or even less. That’s not enough time to build a cohesive team,” Enegwea who currently work as an assistant to Coach Emmanuel Amuneke at Heartland FC of Owerri, told Nation Sport.
Enegwea emphasized that consistent preparation creates familiarity and chemistry among players, which can’t be achieved through hurried camps.
“We must start early and keep these boys together long enough to understand each other. If not, every set comes in as strangers, and we expect miracles,” he stated.
He called on the NFF to return to the model of structured, year-round development programmes that feed directly into the youth national teams: “We need to plan ahead, so by the time qualifiers come, the team already understands the philosophy. That’s how we can revive the Golden Eaglets legacy.”
Erstwhile Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze who first came into international limelight at the inaugural UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup held in Portugal in 1997, echoed similar sentiments, stressing that the problem is not only about time but integrity in player selection.
“The players must see the national team as a platform to make a name for themselves,” the former PAOK Thessaloniki and West Bromwich Albion defender said. “The coaches, too, must be honest in their selection. Pick players with hunger and determination to excel, not those brought in through influence.”
The Super Eagles left back at Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup warned that Nigeria’s youth football will continue to falter unless merit and commitment become the only yardsticks for national team invitations.
“You can’t win with politics. We used to have players who would fight for the badge. That passion has to return,” quipped Udeze.
Meanwhile, Nigeria Football Federation President Mallam Ibrahim Gusau has admitted that the current state of youth football development is worrisome but insists that the federation is taking concrete steps to rebuild from the ground up.
“I must be worried because the future of our football starts from the youth level,” Gusau stated. “The good news is that the NFF and FIFA have come up with talent development programmes for Under-15 boys and girls. We’re very high on it — we’re starting afresh.”
Gusau revealed that the federation is ending the era of ad-hoc screening exercises that assemble teams from scratch weeks before major competitions.
“In the near future, it won’t be business as usual. We’re creating structured development centres in every zone. Our Under-15 players will be groomed from these centres, ensuring continuity and proper monitoring.”
To support the new framework, Gusau disclosed plans for new infrastructure, including a dedicated hostel facility where young players will train and live during school holidays.
“We must create an enabling environment to allow our young players stay together long enough to understand themselves and the coaches’ philosophies. That’s why we’re building this hostel. From there, they can grow through the ranks into the U-17, U-20, and beyond.”
He also emphasized the need for coaches to have more time with their teams:” They need time to instil tactical understanding and build team spirit. The days of assembling players randomly before tournaments must end. With this new plan, our future stars will be nurtured systematically.”
Nigeria’s youth football system stands today at a critical juncture — between nostalgia for past glory and the reality of present decay. The Golden Eaglets’ absence from consecutive World Cups, the Flying Eagles’ inconsistency, and the underwhelming returns from the Falconets and Flamingos all point to a system that needs rebuilding, not patchwork solutions.
Yet, amid the gloom, there are glimmers of hope. With Gusau’s renewed grassroots focus and FIFA-backed initiatives in motion, the country might just be taking its first real steps toward reclaiming its lost dominance.
As the Golden Eaglets top official aptly summarized :“Our talent has never been in doubt. All we need is proper planning, structure, and the will to do things right. Once we get that right, Nigeria will rise again.”
Kenya’s women’s marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after she admitted to anti-doping rule violations but her 2:09:56 mark will remain on the books as it was set before her positive test.
Chepngetich, who smashed the record in Chicago last October, was provisionally suspended in July this year by the Athletics Integrity Unit after Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) was detected in a sample collected from the athlete on March 14.
The sample revealed an HCTZ concentration of 3,800ng/mL, far above the World Anti-Doping Agency’s minimum reporting limit of 20ng/mL.
Chepngetich, 31, initially denied any wrongdoing and could not explain the positive result despite an AIU investigation, which included analysis of her medications, supplements and phone data.
However, on July 31, two weeks after Chepngetich was suspended, she changed her explanation, saying she had unknowingly taken her housemaid’s medication, which contained HCTZ, while ill.
“She stated that she had forgotten to disclose this incident to the AIU investigators,” the AIU said in a statement.
HCTZ is used clinically to treat fluid retention and hypertension, with the AIU adding that diuretics may be abused to mask the presence in urine of other prohibited substances.
The AIU said Chepngetich’s actions were reckless and indirectly intentional rather than accidental, initially applying a four-year sanction.
However, Chepngetich’s early admission earned her a one-year reduction, resulting in a three-year ban issued on September 10.
“The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich’s phone to determine if any other violations have occurred,” AIU head Brett Clothier said.
“In the meantime, all Chepngetich’s achievements and records pre-dating the 14 March 2025 sample stand.”
Major League Soccer has announced the finalists for its 2025 year-end awards .
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, who won last year’s Landon Donovan MLS MVP and whose three-year contract extension through 2028 was announced Thursday, is one of five finalists for the award again along with Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Evander (FC Cincinnati) and Sam Surridge (Nashville SC).
Messi led MLS in goals (29) and assists (19) this season. The other four finalists round out the top five goal-scorers, but Dreyer and Evander are the only two that are also in the top five for assists.
The three finalists for Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year are the Philadelphia Union’s Bradley Carnell, Vancouver Whitecaps’ Jesper Sorensen and San Diego’s Mikey Varas.
Dreyer, who signed with expansion side San Diego and had 19 goals and 19 assists to lead the squad to the top seed in the Western Conference, is also one of three finalists for MLS Newcomer of the Year, alongside Son Heung-Min (LAFC) and Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire).
The MLS Young Player of the Year finalists (born on or after Jan. 1, 2003) are Orlando City’s Alex Freeman, Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna and the Seattle Sounders’ Obed Vargas.
The three finalists for MLS Defender of the Year are a pair of Philadelphia teammates in Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner as well as Tristan Blackmon of Vancouver.
MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalists are Matt Freese of New York City FC, Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United) and Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver), who led the league with 13 clean sheets.
The finalists for MLS Comeback Player of the Year are Houston Dynamo’s Lawrence Ennali, Nick Hagglund of Cincinnati and Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea.
Finally, the three finalists for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community during the 2025 season, are Ryan Hollingshead (LAFC), Luna (RSL) and Brad Stuver (Austin FC).
The winners for these awards will be announced throughout the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, which began Wednesday night with Chicago beating Orlando and Portland beating Salt Lake in the wild-card matches.
MLS Goal of the Year and Save of the Year will be decided by an online vote and announced on Oct. 27.
The MLS Best XI will also be revealed at a later date.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will on November 17 in Lausanne, Switzerland, hear the eligibility case filed by the Guinean Football Federation (FEGUIFOOT) against Tanzania over their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
According to FEGUIFOOT, both sides have already exchanged written arguments, paving the way for a decisive hearing expected to determine the final Group H standings.
The Guinean federation is represented by the Belgium-based law firm Eleven & Law, renowned for handling complex international sports disputes.
The case centres on Guinea’s allegation that Tanzania fielded an ineligible player during their final group game, which ended 1–0 in favour of the Taifa Stars. The player, reportedly wearing jersey number 26 and introduced in the 73rd minute, was not listed in the official CAF match squad, and his jersey bore no visible name.
Guinea, who finished third in the group with nine points—one behind second-placed Tanzania and two adrift of leaders DR Congo—lodged a formal protest to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), claiming a breach of eligibility rules.
In a statement, FEGUIFOOT reaffirmed its commitment to fairness and integrity in African football, expressing confidence in a just outcome as the CAS ruling draws near.
