The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Super Falcons to grace WAFU B  tourney ahead of WAFCON

    Super Falcons to grace WAFU B  tourney ahead of WAFCON

    Five Nigerians listed in IFFHS Women’s Africa XI

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has entered the Super Falcons for the WAFU B Four-Nation Tournament in Abidjan as part of preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

    The preparatory tournament will take place in Côte d’Ivoire between February 27  and March 7 ahead of WAFCON scheduled for March 17 to April 3.

    NFF Director of Competitions, Ruth David, confirmed Nigeria’s participation, describing it as a crucial step in ensuring the reigning African champions are fully prepared for the continental showpiece.

    According to her, the WAFU B Secretariat has invited Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal — all WAFCON participants — for the mini-tournament. She added that the Super Falcons’ squad list submitted by head coach Justin Madugu will be released in the coming days through official channels.

    In a related development,  five Super Falcons stars  have been nominated  into the IFFHS Women’s Africa XI for 2025.

    Read Also: Super Eagles: NFF  demands compensation from Airtel over ambush marketing

    Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defenders Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre, and midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Rasheedat Ajibade were all named in the team released by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

    Nnadozie’s inclusion reflects her consistency and authority at both club and international level, with standout performances in Europe enhancing her reputation as one of Africa’s top goalkeepers.

    Alozie and Plumptre anchor a solid defence, while Ucheibe and Ajibade provide balance, energy and creativity in midfield. Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak, Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga complete a star-studded XI.

    The IFFHS explained that the selection is a projection based on form, consistency and statistical analysis rather than a retrospective award, highlighting Nigeria’s continued leadership in African women’s football.

  • Poland 2026: Aduku expresses confidence as Falconets gear up for Senegal clash

    Poland 2026: Aduku expresses confidence as Falconets gear up for Senegal clash

    Head Coach Moses Aduku has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Nigeria U20 girls, Falconets, as the two-time FIFA World Cup silver-medallists continue preparations for the third-round FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Senegal.

    The past weeks spent in camp have been productive, with all invited players fully present and responding positively to training. The technical crew has focused on tactical organization, team cohesion, and overall strategy, and the players have demonstrated commitment, discipline, and intensity throughout preparations.

    Aduku emphasized that attention remains firmly on the upcoming qualifier, stressing the importance of securing a strong result in the first leg on home soil. Friendly matches have been vital in assessing and refining the team’s system of play, with focus on strengthening attacking play while maintaining defensive balance. He described performances so far as encouraging.

    Read Also: Mikel berates  NFF on Super Eagles’ preps for AFCON 2025

    Nigeria will host the first leg of the fixture at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Saturday, 7th  February, with the return leg scheduled for Saturday, 14th  February in Dakar, Senegal.

    The Falconets, who also reached the semi -finals of the FIFA World Cup in Japan 14 years ago, will travel to Ibadan on 27th January to continue their preparations ahead of the fixture. While refraining from bold predictions, Coach Aduku expressed belief in the quality and mentality of the players, citing their competitive displays in recent friendly matches. He concluded by re-affirming the team’s determination to make the nation proud and secure qualification.

    The winner of the Nigeria/Senegal fixture will go into the last round of the qualifying series, to confront the winner of the Guinea Bissau/Malawi fixture, for one of Africa’s four tickets at the final tournament.

    The 12th edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals will be staged in Poland between  September  5th and 27th.

  • ITTF World Championships: Nigeria draw ‘old enemy’ South Africa, Saudi, Hong Kong

    ITTF World Championships: Nigeria draw ‘old enemy’ South Africa, Saudi, Hong Kong

    Nigeria has been drawn alongside Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa in Group 15 of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals, set to take place in London between April 28  and May 10.

    The draw, held  at The Shard, marked the beginning of a historic celebration of 100 years of the World Championships.

     “From London to London, we have come full circle,” ITTF President Petra Sörling said yesterday. “England has hosted the World Championships on seven occasions, but returning to where it all began makes this centenary edition truly special. This event is already historic, but I am confident it will also be unforgettable.”

    The Quadri Aruna-led men’s team will face tough opposition from Asian giants Hong Kong, who boast some of the finest young players in the world, as well as Middle Eastern powerhouse Saudi Arabia and continental rivals South Africa.

    In the women’s category, Fatimo Bello will captain Nigeria in Group 11, where they will battle against Australia, Uzbekistan, and Wales.

    African champions Egypt, led by Omar Assar, received a favourable draw in the men’s event, facing Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Thailand.

    Read Also: W’Cup 2026: NFF begs Tinubu, Nigerians over  Super Eagles’ setback

    Rising star Hana Goda will lead Egypt’s women’s team against Algeria, South Africa, and Syria.

    Reigning champions China, winners of the last 11 editions, headline Group 1 alongside host nation England, five-time winners Sweden, and Korea Republic. France, silver medallists at the last edition, will face Japan, Germany, and Chinese Taipei in Group 2 as they bid to lift the Swaythling Cup for the first time.

    In the women’s competition, hosts England were drawn in Group 2 with Japan, Germany, and France, while China, 23-time Corbillon Cup winners, lead Group 1 against Korea Republic, Chinese Taipei, and Romania.

    The draw ceremony was attended by ITTF President and IOC Member Petra Sörling, ITTF Executive Vice President Beatrice Romanescu, World Table Tennis CEO Steve Dainton, Chair of Table Tennis International Events Richard Scruton, Table Tennis England Chair Clare Briegal MBE, Table Tennis England President and World Championship medallist Jill Parker MBE, England men’s athlete and three-time Olympian Paul Drinkhall, ITTF Nominations Committee Chair Sandra Deaton, and UK Sport Deputy Director Esther Britten MBE.

    The top eight seeds in each competition will contest Stage 1a at OVO Arena Wembley from May 2–3, with all teams progressing to Stage 2. Group performances will determine seeding for the knockout rounds. Stage 1b will take place at the Copper Box Arena from April 28–May 1, where 56 teams in each competition will battle for the remaining 24 places in the Main Draw.

    London 2026 marks 100 years since the first World Championships were held in the city in 1926, making this the most significant edition in the event’s history.

  • Dyche praises  Awoniyi  on ending goal drought

    Dyche praises  Awoniyi  on ending goal drought

    Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has praised Taiwo Awoniyi after the Nigeria international striker ended a near year-long goal drought to inspire a crucial 2-0 Premier League victory over Brentford.

    The win moved Forest five points clear of the relegation zone and boosted confidence in their survival push.

    Forest opened the scoring in the 12th  minute through Igor Jesus, who finished calmly after being set up by Ola Aina. Awoniyi, introduced in the 68th  minute, sealed the win with a powerful solo effort eleven minutes later.

    The goal was Awoniyi’s first since February 11, 2025, when he scored against Exeter, bringing an end to a prolonged spell without finding the net.

    Read Also: Nigeria, Egypt friendly in doubt as NFF shift camp to Morocco

    Dyche praised the striker’s mentality and patience.

    “He’s worked hard, trained well and stayed positive,” he said. “I told him to be free, and he looked free when he came on. It was a very good finish.”

    Awoniyi’s return to form underlined Forest’s growing belief as they continue their battle for Premier League survival.

  • Deutsch named as new  Enyimba Coach

    Deutsch named as new  Enyimba Coach

    Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved the appointment of Emmanuel Deutsch as the new head coach of Enyimba International FC.

    The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was confirmed in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, and is part of efforts to restore Enyimba’s dominance in Nigerian and African football.

    A two-time CAF Champions League winner, Enyimba have struggled to meet expectations in recent seasons.

    Read Also: Morocco 2025: NFF backs  Chelle to achieve future greater things with Eagles

    Governor Otti is determined to reposition the club through improved technical structure and professionalism.

    Coach Deutsch, who holds CAF A, B and C licences, has vast experience across Nigeria and Cameroon and was named Nigeria National League Best Coach in 2025.

    The state government expressed confidence that his discipline, tactical expertise and leadership will help return the Aba giants to their historic status.

  • Porto enter race for wantaway Terem  Moffi

    Porto enter race for wantaway Terem  Moffi

    Portuguese giants FC Porto have reportedly entered the race for Nigerian forward Terem Moffi as he seeks an exit from Ligue 1 side Nice.

    Moffi has not featured for Nice in recent months following an incident involving club supporters, and his attempt to terminate his contract was unsuccessful.

    While Nice remain open to reintegrating the striker, Moffi has made it clear that he wants to leave during the January transfer window.

    Read Also: Super Eagles: NFF  demands compensation from Airtel over ambush marketing

    Turkish club Besiktas have also been linked with the 24-year-old after his representatives offered him to the club. However, reports from Portugal suggest Porto have now emerged as his preferred destination.

    Any deal will depend on meeting Nice’s €10 million valuation, with negotiations expected to intensify in the coming weeks.

  • Lawal set for record €3m move to Viktoria Plzeň

    Lawal set for record €3m move to Viktoria Plzeň

    Nigeria forward Salim Fago Lawal is set to complete a move to Czech champions Viktoria Plzeň after an agreement was reached with Croatian side NK Istra 1961.

    Sources close to the deal revealed that the 22-year-old is scheduled to travel to the Czech Republic on Sunday, with a medical examination lined up for Monday ahead of an official announcement.

    Viktoria Plzeň will pay a guaranteed €2.4 million for the forward, with add-ons potentially taking the deal to €3 million — a club-record sale for NK Istra 1961.

    Read Also: NFF issues AFCON 2025 final ultimatum to Chelle

    Lawal is expected to replace Rafiu Durosinmi, who recently completed a move to Italian side Pisa. The versatile attacker has scored six goals in 18 appearances this season and is capable of operating as a central striker or on either wing.

    The former Mavlon FC player rose to prominence following his impressive displays at the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup before earning a senior national team call-up for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

    He made his Super Eagles debut against Uganda in Nigeria’s final group match.

  • AFA Sports  set off #LaceUpADream  for grassroots football

    AFA Sports  set off #LaceUpADream  for grassroots football

    By Daniel Oyekan

    African performance sportswear brand,  AFA Sports, has thrown its weight behind grassroots football development with a strategic partnership involving Footie Moments With Nabila Foundation and Africa Bitcoin Community Hub, as the trio officially launched the #LaceUpADream initiative aimed at nurturing underprivileged but gifted young footballers across the continent.

    The programme is designed to provide talented African youths with the basic tools required to chase professional football careers, starting with access to quality equipment often out of reach at the grassroots level.

    As part of the collaboration, AFA Sports served as the official technical and manufacturing partner, producing the first batch of 200 high-performance football boots for the initiative. The boots were specifically engineered for African playing conditions, with emphasis on durability, comfort and elite-level performance, while meeting international standards comparable to leading global brands.

    Despite their global quality, the boots are proudly African-made, a deliberate statement aligned with AFA Sports’ long-standing vision of building world-class sportswear from the continent, for the continent.

     “This partnership represents everything AFA Sports stands for  elite performance, African ownership, and real grassroots impact,” the spokesperson for AFA said in a statement.

    Read Also: Nigeria, Egypt friendly in doubt as NFF shift camp to Morocco

    Beyond football development, the initiative also carries a strong message of innovation and financial empowerment. Through the involvement of Africa Bitcoin Community Hub, the #LaceUpADream boots feature a visible Bitcoin logo, symbolising digital inclusion and economic education for African youth.

    In a continent where football remains one of the strongest cultural connectors, the integration of financial technology is intended to introduce young players to conversations around financial sovereignty and modern economic systems early in their careers.

    “These boots are not just equipment; they are a statement,” AFA Sports added.“They represent opportunity, independence and the belief that African players deserve access to global systems of value, both on and off the pitch.”

    For AFA Sports, the partnership goes beyond sport. It is also a firm position on African economic sovereignty and local value creation.

     “For too long, Africa has exported its talent, capital and consumer power elsewhere. Our belief is simple: African athletes should be equipped by African brands, supported by African institutions and built for global excellence, right here on the continent.”

    By aligning with Footie Moments With Nabila Foundation, the initiative directly links grassroots football development with African-owned manufacturing, branding and distribution, ensuring that value, impact and opportunity remain within the African ecosystem.

    Organisers insist that #LaceUpADream is not a one-off donation project but a long-term development platform built around a holistic ecosystem that integrates elite football equipment with grassroots talent identification, African brand development, as well as financial literacy and digital inclusion for young players.

    Through this collaborative framework, AFA Sports, Footie Moments With Nabila Foundation and Africa Bitcoin Community Hub aim to nurture a new generation of African footballers and athletes who are not only technically gifted on the pitch, but also empowered, informed and economically aware beyond it.

    As African football continues to search for sustainable development models, the #LaceUpADream initiative presents a compelling blueprint rooted in local solutions, African ownership and global ambition.

  • Besiktas pay £11m for Abraham – to sell him to Villa

    Besiktas pay £11m for Abraham – to sell him to Villa

    Besiktas have paid £11.2m to Roma for Tammy Abraham – as the Turkish club prepare to sell him to Aston Villa.

    The striker had a medical on Saturday having travelled to the UK on Friday after Villa agreed an £18m deal with the Super Lig side.

    Besiktas had an obligation to buy in the loan deal which took Abraham from Roma last summer and did not want to sell him, but are reluctantly allowing Abraham to return to England.

    Read Also: Ladipo: NFF interference killing Football Supporters Club

    Abraham, who has 11 England caps, scored 12 goals in 24 games for Besiktas.

    “The conditions in the transfer contract of Kevin Oghenetega Tamaraebi Bakumo-Abraham have been fulfilled and the provision for the permanent transfer of the player has come into effect,” said Besiktas.

    “In this context, a transfer fee of 13m euros will be paid to AS Roma.”

    The 28-year-old joined Roma from Chelsea for £34m in 2021 and scored 39 goals in 120 games for the Serie A club, winning the Europa Conference League in 2022.

    He also spent 2024-25 on loan at AC Milan, scoring 10 times in 44 appearances.

  • Senegal’s PM calls AFCON final incidents ‘deplorable’

    Senegal’s PM calls AFCON final incidents ‘deplorable’

    The incidents that occurred during the African Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal were “deplorable” and “painful”, Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said on Monday.

    His comments came ahead of possible sanctions by the Confederation of African Football against his national team after Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest at a VAR-awarded penalty before returning to beat hosts Morocco 1‑0 after extra time.

    A group of Senegalese fans clashed with Moroccan security as they tried to enter the pitch in protest following the penalty decision.

    Eighteen Senegalese supporters have been arrested and will stand trial in Morocco over the incidents.

    Social media users from the two countries have traded accusations since the final.

    Read Also: Morocco 2025: NFF backs  Chelle to achieve future greater things with Eagles

    Speaking at the opening of a Moroccan‑Senegalese joint commission in Rabat, one week after the final, Sonko said his visit comes in a context “charged with sporting emotion, deplorable misconduct and images that have at times been painful for two peoples deeply bound to one another.”

    “The misbehaviour observed here and there should neither be denied nor dramatized,” he said.

    The incidents “should be understood as emotional excesses fuelled by passion, rather than as political or cultural rifts,” he said.

    The remarks marked the first time a senior Senegalese official has acknowledged the African Cup final incidents in those terms, ahead of possible disciplinary measures by CAF.

    The Moroccan football federation said it was pursuing legal action with CAF and FIFA following the final incidents.

    CAF said it would take “appropriate action” after reviewing the match incidents, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned the behaviour of Senegal’s players and members of the coaching staff.

    President Bassirou Diomaye Faye congratulated the Senegalese team in Dakar and thanked Morocco for its organisation of the tournament.

    Senegal is among Morocco’s closest allies on the continent. Dakar backs Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where it operates a consulate.

    Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said at the same event that centuries‑old ties with Senegal were strong, but he did not congratulate Senegal on its African Cup win.

    Morocco’s king had said the tournament was a success for Africa and that the “regrettable incidents” that marred the final will not undermine African fraternity.