The Nation Newspaper

Tag: world cup

  • World Cup winner, Olympic champion Dunn  retires from football

    World Cup winner, Olympic champion Dunn  retires from football

    Crystal Dunn, an Olympic champion and World Cup winner who made 160 appearances for the U.S. women’s national team, has announced her retirement from professional soccer.

    A key figure in the United States’ 2019 World Cup win and their 2024 Olympic triumph, Dunn hoisted the championship trophy in the top-flight NWSL three times, with the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019 and with the Portland Thorns in 2022.

    A versatile talent who was lethal in the midfield and forward positions, she became a critical piece of the national team’s defence, shining at left back despite it not being her preferred role.

    Read Also; AFCON 2025: CAF slams Senegal, Morocco for final chaos

    “I leave the game with a sense of peace and deep fulfilment for all that I’ve accomplished,” Dunn said in a statement.

    “I’m grateful for the incredible people I’ve had the privilege to work with, from teammates and coaches to family and friends, and all the amazing moments we’ve shared. I’m very much looking forward to my next chapter ahead.”

    Dunn is the latest in a series of high-profile players from the United States’ modern golden age to retire. She played alongside the likes of Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, cementing herself as a bedrock of the U.S. backline.

    Among the first Black stars to break through in a once overwhelmingly white U.S. women’s soccer programme, Dunn served as a role model for the next generation.

    “I first kicked a soccer ball at the age of four, never knowing it would change my life,” said Dunn. “My journey wasn’t perfect, but it was beautiful.”

  • Things to know about DR Congo vs Nigeria World Cup battle

    Things to know about DR Congo vs Nigeria World Cup battle

    The clash between Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African qualification pathway for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has grown into one of the most complex and controversial football stories of 2025. 

    What began as a high-stakes playoff match has since evolved into a dispute involving eligibility rules, national citizenship laws, and FIFA’s interpretation of international sporting regulations. 

    The outcome of this case could yet reshape Africa’s final representation at the World Cup.

    Nigeria and DR Congo met on November 16, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco, in a one-off CAF playoff final that determined which nation would advance to the inter-confederation playoffs. 

    Nigeria scored early through Frank Onyeka, but DR Congo equalised via Meschack Elia before halftime. After extra time ended 1–1, DR Congo won the penalty shootout 4–3, keeping their World Cup dream alive and ending Nigeria’s qualification hopes on the pitch.

    What happened on the field

    Nigeria started strongly, pressing aggressively and taking an early lead within the opening minutes. However, DR Congo gradually settled into the match, tightened their midfield structure, and exploited moments of transition to equalise. Both teams struggled to create clear chances in the second half and extra time as fatigue set in and the fear of conceding took over.

    The match ultimately went to penalties, where DR Congo showed greater composure. Their goalkeeper made key saves while Nigeria failed to convert crucial kicks. Captain Chancel Mbemba scored the decisive penalty, sending DR Congo through to the next stage and sparking celebrations among Congolese supporters.

    Why the match mattered

    For DR Congo, the victory represented a rare opportunity to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974. It was also seen as validation of years of rebuilding and reliance on Europe-based talent. Advancing to the inter-confederation playoffs offered a realistic pathway to football’s biggest stage.

    For Nigeria, the defeat was devastating. It confirmed a second consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup, a situation almost unthinkable for one of Africa’s most historically successful football nations. 

    The result intensified scrutiny on coaching decisions, federation leadership, and the long-term direction of the national team.

    The controversy after the match

    Shortly after the defeat, Nigeria’s head coach made comments suggesting unusual behaviour from the DR Congo bench during the penalty shootout, implying distraction or superstition. While those remarks drew public attention, they were largely dismissed by analysts and officials.

    The more serious development came in December 2025, when the Nigeria Football Federation submitted a formal petition to FIFA. The complaint alleged that DR Congo fielded several ineligible players during the playoffs, based on the country’s domestic citizenship laws.

    Citizenship rules in DR Congo

    Under the constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo, dual citizenship is generally not recognised. The law states that Congolese nationality is exclusive, meaning a citizen should not hold another nationality at the same time unless specific legal steps are taken.

    Nigeria’s argument rests on the claim that several DR Congo players, many of whom were born or raised abroad, may not have formally complied with Congolese nationality requirements before representing the national team. 

    While these players reportedly held Congolese passports, Nigeria contends that possession of a passport alone does not automatically satisfy domestic legal obligations under Congolese law.

    FIFA’s stance on player eligibility

    FIFA’s eligibility framework is based on sporting nationality rather than domestic constitutional law. To represent a country, a player must hold that country’s nationality and, where applicable, complete FIFA’s one-time switch process if they previously represented another nation.

    In most cases, FIFA considers a valid passport sufficient proof of eligibility. FIFA does not typically enforce or interpret a country’s internal citizenship laws unless there is evidence of falsified documentation or misrepresentation. DR Congo’s players were cleared by FIFA prior to the qualifiers, which forms the basis of the Congolese federation’s defence.

    Chances of any outcome and what the rules say

    As things stand, DR Congo’s position remains strong from a regulatory standpoint. At the time the playoff match against Nigeria was played, all DR Congo players involved had been officially cleared and deemed eligible under FIFA’s eligibility rules. 

    Each player held valid Congolese nationality documents and had received approval through FIFA’s established clearance processes where required. From FIFA’s perspective, eligibility is determined at the point of competition, not retroactively unless evidence of falsification or misrepresentation is proven.

    This significantly reduces the likelihood of an outright reversal of the match result. Historically, FIFA has been reluctant to overturn on-field outcomes when players were cleared before kickoff and participated in good faith under existing regulations. 

    Unless Nigeria can demonstrate that FIFA was misled through fraudulent documentation or that critical information was deliberately withheld, the most probable outcome is that the result will stand. 

    While the investigation continues, precedent suggests that DR Congo’s advancement to the inter-confederation playoffs remains intact, with Nigeria’s chances hinging more on procedural interpretation than sporting merit.

    The current situation

    FIFA has acknowledged receipt of Nigeria’s petition and is reviewing the case. The investigation is ongoing, and no final ruling has been announced. Possible outcomes range from the complaint being dismissed, to administrative sanctions, or in extreme circumstances, a reversal of results.

    However, overturning a match result is rare and would require strong evidence of regulatory breach.

    Meanwhile, DR Congo remains scheduled to participate in the inter-confederation playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, pending FIFA’s final decision. 

    Nigeria’s qualification hopes now rest entirely on the outcome of this administrative process rather than on-field performance.

    Why this dispute matters beyond Nigeria and DR Congo

    The case has wider implications for international football, especially in Africa, where many national teams rely heavily on diaspora players. 

    It highlights the tension between domestic citizenship laws and FIFA’s global eligibility system, and raises questions about whether greater alignment or clarification is needed.

    Whatever FIFA decides, the DR Congo vs Nigeria World Cup battle of 2025 will be remembered not only for its dramatic penalty shootout, but also for the legal and regulatory questions it has forced football’s governing bodies to confront.

  • All eyes on Kennedy Centre as  W’Cup 2026 Draw holds today

    All eyes on Kennedy Centre as  W’Cup 2026 Draw holds today

    The countdown to the first 48-team World Cup begins in earnest today  as the draw for the 2026 finals takes place in Washington, with Donald Trump set to dominate much of the attention.

    The most logistically complex World Cup in history will be held across North America from June 11 to July 19, with 16 more teams added to the global showpiece, up from the 32 nations involved in Qatar in 2022.

    Today’s ceremony, at the Kennedy Centre on the banks of the Potomac River, will be a star-studded event but Trump will take centre stage.

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino has developed a close relationship with Trump, including making several visits to the White House.

    Now the US President is widely expected to be the first ever recipient of the FIFA Peace Prize, which will be awarded during the draw ceremony, “to recognize the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations,” as Infantino put it.

    Even the choice of draw venue is a nod to Trump, who earlier this year installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Centre, a performing arts venue opened in the early 1970s.

    Holding the draw there also means the US capital gets to play an active role in the World Cup itself having been overlooked as a match venue.

    The ceremony will be co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and American actor and comedian Kevin Hart, and will feature performances by Village People, Andrea Bocelli and Robbie Williams.

    Read Also: Buhari names Adesina, Djeba, Seriki, 39 others as ambassadors-nominees

    NFL legend Tom Brady, ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal will be among the stars helping to conduct the draw.

    Trump has made the World Cup a centrepiece event of both his second presidency and the 250th anniversary of US independence next year.

    But he has not hesitated to inject domestic politics into the preparations, threatening to move World Cup matches from Democratic-run cities if he deems conditions to be “unsafe”.

    “I would call Gianni, the head of FIFA, who’s phenomenal, and I would say, let’s move it to another location. And he would do that,” Trump said recently.

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will also be in attendance at the ceremony.

    Eleven of the 16 World Cup venues are in the United States, with three in Mexico and two in Canada.

    The political element to the draw saw Iran vow to boycott the ceremony because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of its delegation.

    Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj denounced the USA’s decision as “purely political”. Iran subsequently announced on Wednesday that it would now send representatives, including head coach Amir Ghalenoei.

    Lionel Messi’s Argentina are the reigning champions after winning the World Cup for the third time in Qatar in 2022.

    They will be among the top seeds along with European champions Spain, record five-time winners Brazil, France, Germany, England, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium. The three host nations complete the first pot of seeds.

    The decision to expand the tournament has also cleared the way for several first-time qualifiers, including Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao.

    But it is not to everyone’s liking – “The monster has been unleashed,” is how former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter described the 48-team format in an interview with CBS.

    The teams will be split into 12 groups of four, with the top two from each advancing alongside the eight best third-placed sides to the last 32.

    For the first time, the draw will be done so as to ensure the four highest-ranked nations are kept apart – Spain, Argentina, France and England will not be able to meet before the semi-finals, if all four top their groups.

    Six places at the finals are still to be decided in playoffs, the winners of which will be among the bottom seeds – the favourites will therefore want to avoid Italy, World Cup winners as recently as 2006 but who failed to qualify for the last two tournaments.

    The opening match will be held at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, before the tournament unfolds over nearly six weeks, culminating in the final at the MetLife Stadium just outside New York City.

    Because of the complexity, teams will only learn the full details of their match venues and kick-off times on Saturday,  a day after the draw.

  • W’Cup 2026 Play-Offs Fallout: Stakeholders seek reforms in Nigerian football system

    W’Cup 2026 Play-Offs Fallout: Stakeholders seek reforms in Nigerian football system

    For the second consecutive World Cup cycle, the Super Eagles will not be on football’s biggest stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup  after missing out the last time at Qatar 2022. As such, the current disappointment runs deep—not only among fans but also former internationals, coaches and administrators who have watched the national team steadily lose its identity. Yet, in the ruins of the latest failure lies an opportunity: to confront the deep structural weaknesses that have plagued Nigerian football for a decade and to begin a genuine, long-overdue rebuilding process writes TUNDE LIADI…

    The final whistle in Rabat last Sunday after the dramatic 4-3 loss to Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed what many feared but few wished to admit: Nigeria will not be at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    For a footballing nation of over 200 million people, three-time African champions and six-time World Cup finalists, this is more than a sporting setback—it is a national wound

    But how did we get here? And  importantly, what must be done to prevent a third consecutive failure?

    If there is a common thread in the reactions from former players and analysts, it is this: Nigeria’s football administration is adrift, reactive, and devoid of long-term planning.

    Read Also: Super Falcons, Nnadozie win  big at 2025 CAF Awards

    Former Secretary of Gabros FC, Barrister Iyke Igbokwe, offered perhaps the bluntest assessment of the unfortunate current situation.

    “It was a disaster waiting to happened,” the firebrand Igbokwe offered  in a radio interview.“ The inconsistent performances of the Super Eagles starting with  the mismanagement and inadequate planning  by the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) led by Alhaji  Ibrahim Gusau.

    “Anyone that claims he was  expecting a World Cup qualification is lying,” he added.

    Igbokwe highlighted  a chaotic coaching cycle—three coaches in six qualifying matches—combined with player inconsistency and administrative disorganization.  He insisted that  the NFF “burgled the World Cup ticket” , citing unpaid allowances, poor preparation and a lack of continuity.

    His argument mirrors the long-standing concerns of former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung, who attributed  years of decline to “corruption and impunity.”

     Dalung recalled  an unforgettable encounter with a ministry cleaner who told him: “We work harder for failure than for success.” According to the cleaner, officials benefit when teams fail early in tournaments because unspent funds become unaccounted spoils.

    Dalung claimed he  attempted  to implement reforms—including a proposal for a FIFA-led Normalization Committee but it collapsed due to political interference.

     “Corruption would once again triumph,” he said, noting that systemic rot continues to define Nigeria’s football destiny.

    The administrative confusion extends to coaching appointments dating  back  to the penchant  of sacking coaches at the whims. The revolving  Super Eagles coaching door  had in the last four  years  saw  the of Gernot Rohr, Austin Eguavoen (twice) Jose Peseiro  and Finidi George. 

    There are a school of thought  that claimed that  even with a Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho,  the Super Eagles  might not even fly  “because  there is no system to work with.”

    Predictably, the debate over who should have led the Super Eagles during the chaotic  World Cup campaign  rages on.

    Former Nigeria International  and erstwhile Super Eagles  assistant coach Sylvanus Okpala stands firm: “Removing Eguavoen was the mistake. We would have qualified with him.”

    But former World Cup star Ifeanyi Udeze sharply disagrees: “Eguavoen was there in 2022 and we still didn’t qualify. What was the guarantee? Chelle did his best. The problem is bigger than the coach.”

    Their disagreement captures the broader issue: Nigeria keeps debating individuals instead of interrogating the system that keeps failing every coach.

    Yet  many former Nigeria  internationals have  criticized the lack of depth and identity in the current national team set up.

    In fact, Duke Udi  is concerned about Nigeria’s over-reliance on Victor Osimhen: “As soon as Osimhen left the game(against  Democratic Republic on Sunday)  there was nothing upfront. I thought we had a good bench, but they did nothing.”

    Udi, the former Shooting Stars head coach stresses that even an AFCON victory would not compensate for the World Cup miss: “Every player dreams of the World Cup. AFCON is not new to Nigeria.”

    For Loveday Omoruyi, the problem is both technical and cultural: “Some players don’t know what it means to wear the Nigeria jersey. We relied on one player. It’s time to look inward. Bring in Flying Eagles players. Start again.”

    Garba Lawal, another respected former midfielder, is adamant that the national team need gradual transition  after failing to pick one of the continental tickets  to the FIFA World Cup 2026.

     “We need fresh legs. Some players are aging. This is the time to rebuild. The objective shouldn’t be to win immediately—build team chemistry,” the Atlanta 1996 soccer gold medallist said.

    Even goalkeeping legend Etta Egbe insisted  the Super Eagles have strayed from their identity:

     “Our philosophy was wing play. It gave us results. We abandoned it. These same players won’t take us anywhere. Bring younger players to enjoy themselves.”

    And from the media perspective, Dr. Larry Izamoje, the Chairman of the Brila Media Group,  canvassed  for a controlled rebuild:

    “Eject one or two players, reorganize the set-up. Get players from reserve teams abroad who can commit to Nigeria,” he said, adding  the core of the current team has peaked; the next generation must be ushered in deliberately.

    But  truth be told, the decay in Nigerian football system goes far deeper than the senior national team.

    Since 2014, when Amaju Pinnick assumed office, Nigeria’s age-grade success has collapsed. Once the world’s most formidable youth football nation, Nigeria has now qualified for the U-17 World Cup only once since 2015.

    The NPFL, the primary talent pipeline, is plagued by corruption, poor officiating, and lack of structure. Without a strong domestic league, the Super Eagles become overly dependent on foreign-based players—with many discovering their “Nigerian roots” only after failing to break into European national teams.

    Drawing from the voices of stakeholders and global best practices, here are the reforms Nigeria must implement: Establishment of  a consistent football philosophy by borrowing  leaves from countries like Spain, Germany,  Japan  and even Morocco.

    Secondly, there should be  reformation of  the NFF and make the  leadership accountable and  key factors to look at include: transparent budgeting; Merit-based hiring; Zero tolerance for interference; External audits of tournament spending as well as clear KPIs beyond short-term qualifications because as one concerned senior citizen said: Nigerian football cannot flourish under perpetual crisis management.”

    Thirdly, they must be the clear cut parts to strengthen the youth development and this will include reactivating and funding the national U-13, U-15, U-17 programmes

    Along this line,  there must be concerted  efforts  to professionalize the NPF because a strong national league means a stronger national team. As such, the priorities must include: improving officiating standards;  installing VAR  systems; ensuring club licensing compliance; creating commercial value for clubs  and punishing corruption swiftly

    Bar Clemens Westerhof who had a long and successful reign with the Super Eagles as well as Gernot Rohr, the continuous hiring and firing of coaches has not helped the fortunes of the Super Eagles for instance.

    Recent results have shown that  no coach can rebuild amid constant threats of sack.

    There  are others that maintain  that  there must be the total overall  of the squad  with focus  on bring  in talented  youth  players into the fold.

    To others, there must be improvement in the welfare of the players in order to restore national pride. Late payment of bonuses, chaotic travel logistics and strikes before crucial matches are unacceptable. So that players can feel they are representing a serious nation.

    Yet  The National Sports Commission (NSC) must resume its  oversight functions

    As such  they  must ensure: Policy formulation; grassroots programming; accountability for NFF funds;  monitoring national teams’ performance metrics; Nigeria cannot progress with weak institutional supervision.

    Though  Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup is painful but it is also a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

    Rebuilding must start now—not for the next AFCON not for short-term political appeasement but for a sustainable resurgence.

    The dream of returning to the  2030 World Cup begins today—and it begins with rebuilding Nigerian football from the ground up.

  • 2026 World Cup decider: Rohr optimistic as the Beninese crave ‘Goliath vs. David’ battle in Uyo

    2026 World Cup decider: Rohr optimistic as the Beninese crave ‘Goliath vs. David’ battle in Uyo

    Tomorrow’s  FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Nigeria and Benin promises to be an exciting encounter, especially with the sole Group C automatic ticket at stake.

    Gernot Rohr, the German coach of the Beninese national team, has  expressed  optimism about his team’s chances despite the challenges of playing away in Uyo. The Cheetahs currently lead their qualification group with 17 points, positioned ahead of Nigeria, who has 14 points, and South Africa with 15 points.

    Rohr acknowledged the importance of the match, highlighting that any result other than a defeat could significantly boost Benin’s chances of securing a World Cup spot.

    “My opinion about the matches on Tuesday is that  everybody (the top three teams)can still qualify but I think South Africa has a big chance  if they win the home game against Rwanda,” the former Bordeaux player  trainer told NationSports, adding the Amavubi Warriors must play fairly despite  being out of the race following Friday’s loss to The Cheetahs in Kigali. “Rwanda must play  the game seriously  even if they are eliminated.”

    Rohr  remains confident  that his side can even grind a good result in Uyo, adding any result other than a  defeat to Nigeria, can push  them towards  a historic qualification for the FIFA World Cup.

    “ Of course, the game between us (Benin) and Nigeria  can be decisive,” Rohr, who incidentally qualified the  Super Eagles  for their last World Cup appearance  at Russia 2018, explained.
    “If we win, we qualify automatically  and we are  going to Uyo  with little optimism  but we have it in our hands .”

    The Cheetahs  will be without key players Sessi d’Almedia and Yohan Roche due to suspensions, but the former Bundesliga  defender said  Benin will put up a good fight. 

    Read Also: Startup unveils data-driven technology to revolutionise sports predictions

    “ Though I don’t have players like Nigeria where   when one is out , the other that comes in can be at the same level,” noted Rohr. “But we would try.

    “I have fond memories in Uyo with Nigeria when we beat  Zambia in 2017 to qualify for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup and I will like to do it again with a smaller country, Benin , which is going to be a football miracle , and miracle do happens,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Elvis Dedjinou Zanclan, a journalist from Cotonou, said the “David vs. Goliath” narrative surrounding the match,  add to the excitement.

    He admitted  that while Nigeria is the stronger team, there is a growing sentiment in Benin that an upset could occur.

    “ It’s David versus Goliath,” Zanclan told NationSports.“ The general public here knows Nigeria is above our team  but there is a growing belief  that a miracle is possible.

    “ Never in the past years Benin  have reached this point, so let’s wait and see,” he added.

  • What Nigeria need to qualify for the 2026 World Cup

    What Nigeria need to qualify for the 2026 World Cup

    Nigeria’s quest for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains on a knife edge despite edging past Lesotho 2-1 on Friday — a result that keeps their qualification hopes alive but far from certain as the decisive Group C fixtures loom.

    The Super Eagles were tested by a resilient Lesotho side, with captain William Troost-Ekong and debutant Akor Adams scoring to secure three crucial points.

    However, the result made little impact on Nigeria’s position in the standings. They remain third in the group — one point behind South Africa and three adrift of leaders Benin Republic — making Tuesday’s clash against the Cheetahs a must-win encounter.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: African teams with 20 points, above in FIFA World Cup qualifiers

    What Nigeria need to qualify for the 2026 World Cup

    1. Beat Benin Republic by at least two goals

    The Super Eagles must deliver a commanding performance when they face Benin Republic on Tuesday, October 14. Only a victory by two or more goals will give them a realistic chance of finishing top, with goal difference likely to decide the group’s outcome.

    2. If South Africa slip against Rwanda

    Nigeria’s fate does not rest solely in their hands. For Finidi George’s men to seal automatic qualification, South Africa must either draw or lose to Rwanda in their final fixture. A win for the Bafana Bafana would end Nigeria’s chances.

    With only group winners guaranteed a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup and the four best runners-up advancing to the playoffs, every goal and point now carries immense weight.

    Friday’s hard-fought win in Lesotho has reignited belief, but the Super Eagles will need precision, determination, and a bit of luck to return to football’s biggest stage after missing out on Qatar 2022.

  • Walking into an ambush

    Walking into an ambush

    They have started again. They are busy backslapping themselves as if the points deduction translates to getting the Group C’s 2026 World Cup qualification ticket. Nigeria’s game against Lesotho will be taking place in the next four days, precisely next Friday in Durban, a South African city, with no counter plans to ensure that fans depart the country to support the Super Eagles. They have forgotten that the bad blood arising from the three points’ deduction would play a definitive role in the outcome of the penultimate game between Lesotho in Durban.

    In their wild jubilations, it is important to remind our football chieftains that the South Africans are planning to appeal the deduction of three points and three goals from Bafana Bafana’s hitherto 17 points tally to its 14 points, which will see them to the second position in Group C’s World Cup qualification table. Trust our federation chiefs to wave off any fruitful results from SAFA’s protest without critically perusing its contents to the letter. Getting lawyers to advise them on the appeal’s merits won’t be a bad idea. Certainly not in our administrators’ character. What would shock you would be the laughable undercurrents employed by many of them to get FIFA to take a decision which the South Africans are saying was taken by one member rather than by the disciplinary committee. Isn’t this a likely case of walking into an ambush?

    SAFA members, in an official letter, have said they were disappointed with the decision and will launch a formal appeal within the next 10 days stipulated by the FIFA disciplinary rules.

    “As SAFA, we are deeply disappointed with this unprecedented outcome noting, that it was delivered by a single-member panel without reasons, and without affording the association an opportunity to present legal arguments,” read the official response in part.

    “The association confirms that we have requested written reasons for the judgment and intend to lodge a formal appeal with the FIFA Appeals Committee within the prescribed 10-day period under the disciplinary rules.

    Read Also: World Cup 2026 Race: Super Eagles offered lifeline amid ‘ides of October’

    Could it be true that only one FIFA member decided the decision to deduct three points and three goals from Bafana Bafana’s hitherto 17 points instead of the disciplinary committee members as required? Are the South Africans saying that they ought to have been asked to defend themselves for an issue expressly stated in the rulebook by FIFA? Of course, these posers by South Africans and many others to be submitted in their must be completed in the next 10 days.

    The pertinent question to ask FIFA chiefs would be if the appeal would be dealt with quickly, such that it doesn’t set the stage where the Group’s decider would be played on different dates and not simultaneously as stipulated on such matters for fairness?

    Bafana Bafana will face Zimbabwe for the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on October 10. The Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, will host the 2026 World Cup qualifying clash between Lesotho and Nigeria’s Super Eagles, also on October 10. The other poser would be which of the two matches in Durban and Polokwane would the South Africans want to watch? Isn’t this where the Super Eagles would be walking into an ambush in Polokwane with South Africans trooping out in their numbers to root for Lesotho?

    With exactly six days to the October 10 clash against Lesotho, it is quite refreshing to note that Osimhen will be playing the two matches. Super Eagles have tottered in all the matches that Osimhen was missing. It easily explains why we are in this precarious level where every second in the last two qualifiers could bring celebrations or grief, depending on our players’ attitude in the course of the two games.

    One would have thought that after missing the Qatar 2022 World Cup, our football chieftains, the players, coaches, and the sports commission members would have learned their lesson. Not so here.

    Shettima must hear this!

    Grapevine news around sports, especially in the football circle, is filled with tales that Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima Mustapha is the reason Golden Eaglets’ Coach Manu Garba wasn’t sacked after a shambolic outing with the team last year. I have chosen to bring it to Shettima’s notice because he is too busy to be identified with the dubious acts of idle people around the beautiful game.

    The more ridiculous thing about this nauseating tale is that Garba didn’t do well again with the Golden Eaglets this year. One would have thought the NFF chieftains would have sponsored Garba to yearly coaching clinics to brush up his knowledge of the game since he guided Nigeria to lift the FIFA U-17 World Cup diadem in 2013, which is what other soccer climes’ administrators do when such feats are achieved.

    In football-efficient countries, the FA members would have kept the winning coaching team of Garba, Emmanuel Amunike, and Nduka Ugbade intact and make sure that they upgrade their knowledge yearly, especially when Amunike and Ugbade guided another crop of brilliant Golden Eaglets players to retain the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2015.

    Rather than smear the Vice President’s name with this mess, talebearers should persuade their trumpeters of falsehood to assemble Amunike and Ugbade to start the process of assembling a new set of Golden Eaglets for next year, while Garba is sent on a two-year course to update his rustic soccer tactics.

    The Vice President is too civilised, focused, and busy with other national issues to be involved in such dubious tendencies of encouraging failures to remain in positions that require qualified coaches, in this instance. Those dropping the name of the Vice President should back off! A coach is as good as his last game. Indeed, there are two types of coaches. Those waiting to be sacked and those already sacked.

    The period between now and 2013 is 12 years. Only remedial courses and upgrading of coaching licenses can make a football coach be in sync with the new trends of coaching that are always dynamic. In fact, in 2013, Ugbade and Amunike functioned as assistant coaches to Garba. Need I mention what Amunike received from reputable European managers during his soccer career, including being crowned the Africa Footballer of the Year? Recall that it was Amunike’s nifty chip in the Atlanta’96 Olympic Games’ soccer finals that gave Nigeria the 3-2 victory and gold medal. He also scored a goal at the 1994 World Cup, including other feats. It is also on record that Amunike has attended several coaching seminars, clinics, and has functioned in different Technical Committees for FIFA and CAF.

    Ugbade was captain of the Nigeria U-16 male soccer team that won the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Cup in China, beating Germany 2-0, with the intercontinental ballistic missile (apologies to the late commentator Ernest Okonkwo) shot from the left foot of Victor Igbinoba being the second goal. Ugbade was also a member of The Miracle of Dammam team, the name given to the result of a quarter-final football match between the Nigerian U-20 football team and the USSR U-20 football team at the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia in which the Nigerian team came back from four goals down to level up and go on to win on penalties. No disrespect to Garba’s records as a player. Indeed, being a great player doesn’t translate to being a successful coach.

  • Be wary of match fixing

    Be wary of match fixing

    The incurable optimists are on the prowl. They are praying the South Africa and Republic of Benin slip in their last two 2026 World Cup qualifiers. They argue that with these unholy prayer sessions, Nigeria will finish with 17 points. They have forgotten that the South Africans’ last two group matches would be played on their soil, having been chosen by their ‘hosts’ Zimbabwe and against Rwanda as Bafana Bafana’s last home.

    Only a dreamer deep in illusory thoughts would predict that the South Africans would bottle up these clear hurdles. Those jokers who administer our football hardly remember that our penultimate game is against Lesotho in one of the South African cities. And with the way our players have played so far in the qualifiers, it would take more than prayers and luck for Nigeria to beat Lesotho in South Africa with South Africans rooting for Lesotho. Did I hear you ask if Nigeria beat Lesotho in Uyo in the first leg tie? You have started again. No. Nigeria came from behind to play 1-1 draw with Lesotho in the first World Cup qualifying match.

    Where were these incurable optimists when South Africa inadvertently had eight home games in a World Cup qualifier when Lesotho, Rwanda and Zimbabwe opted to play their home games in South African cities? That was the day Bafana Bafana clinched Group C’s sole qualification ticket. What the NFF and NSC people are doing now is to shift the goalposts after the damage has been done. The talk of miracle favouring Nigeria always is bunkum.

    I appreciate the fact that the South Africans joined the debate about the deduction of three points of 17; which means that Bafana Bafana would have 14 points like Benin Republic, but only if FIFA rules against them. But I smell a rat. We wait. However, with two matches remaining for Bafana Bafana, all which will be played in South African cities, it is safe to say that they have 20 points, going by their matches up to th last stage of two matches. By the same token, it is safe to say that Nigeria should win her two matches to jump to 19. But, there is a caveat. This means that Nigeria must beat Republic of Benin in Uyo in the all-systems-go tie.

    Read Also: Ezekiel Nathaniel sets new Nigerian 400m hurdles record, finishes fourth in Tokyo final 

    This will be crunchy because Benin would be having 17 points from her last home game. It remains to be seen if Nigeria would beat Lesotho in South Africa. Already, Lesotho have perfected plans to drag the Eagles to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Concerns were raised about the conditions of the stadium’s pitch in the preceding match days 7 and 8 that pitted Lesotho with South Africa and South Africa versus Nigeria. Don’t we see this match venue uncertainty as some form of mind games meant to unsettle the Super Eagles on October 6? Could it also be an attempt to take the game to a city where our players would be guzzling water like camels due to altitude issues? All is said to be fair in warfare, isn’t it?

    Do our sports chieftains know about these undercurrents? Did you say yes, dear reader? People who didn’t know that the South Africans inadvertently had eight home games as soon as Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Rwanda opted to play in South Africa cities?

    “The negotiations are just at the beginning. People bid to host games, and then it’s what they can offer. We will compare the two deals, then the one which is better…” Mohapi told Soccer Laduma.

    The decision will be crucial for both teams as Nigeria pushes to secure maximum points away from home in a tightly contested group. Nigeria has no business being in this permutations, given the armada of stars we have playing in the European leagues. A few times in my quiet moments I ask myself if our players can’t speak to themselves and beat some of the countries that have humbled us in competitions as a result of poor coaching?

    Since Monday, I have avoided participating in the debates of FIFA’s likelihood of deducting three points from South Africa’s 17, because most of the arguments are warp. Whereas, they reckon that the Super Eagles will win the next two games, these pundits are saying that Bafana Bafana would lose theirs. Indeed. I envisage a situation where both Nigeria and South Africa would win their two matches, culminating in 17 points for Nigeria and 20 points for South Africa, that is if FIFA find them guilty. Gravevine talks suggested that Lesotho filed their protest out of time as they say in law.

    When will FIFA release their findings and punishments? It has to be before October 6, such that all the countries in Group C can know where they stand on the table and how to go about their remaining games. I must warn here that our soccer chiefs should be wary of match fixing. Nigeria won’t cease being a sovereign country, if Super Eagles fail to qualify for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States. Heaven didn’t fall when Nigeria failed to qualify in 2006 World Cup in Germany and at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

    Only back-to-back defeats for South Africa against already-eliminated Zimbabwe and Rwanda will give Nigeria any chance of topping the section.

    What we should talking about is how to use the next two World Cup matches to rebuild the Super Eagles for the 2025 AFCON in December. How prepared are the NFF members for the competition coming on the heels another likely 2026 World Cup fiasco.

    According to Google: ‘’AFCON 2025 gets underway on 21 December 2025 when Morocco will host Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The 24 teams have been drawn into six groups of four, where they will play a round-robin format, facing each of the other three teams in their group stage.”

    It would be foolhardy for Nigeria to parade the same set of players who prosecuted our last two World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda in Uyo and against Bafana Bafana at the Free State Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on September 9 wholesale and expect to clinch the Group C’s sole qualification ticket.

    Already, one of our topmost defenders, Ola Aina returned to Forest, and the extent of his injury was confirmed. The former Chelsea player’s earliest return is expected by December, hinting that he could miss the Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 campaign in Morocco. Aina underwent his first surgery on a torn hamstring in his right leg and is out of the country’s preparations.

    “On the 13th of September [four days ago], I had my operation. Thank you for all the support and all the messages and stuff.

    “I just finished having my surgery. It’s my first one, but yeah, I just want to say thank you for all the messages.

    “We move. It’s all in God’s timing; this is God’s plan.” Aina said in the clip he posted.

    Troost Ekong can be elevated to an administrative role in the Eagles among others whose time for Nigeria have reached the bus stop. They truly have to disembark and do other things.

    The perennial crises associated with Nigeria’s elimination from the senior World Cup is always ferocious. It could scuttle our attempt to surpass last edition, where Nigeria lost 2-1 in the finals to the host nation, Ivory Coast.

  • Another fish to fry

    Another fish to fry

    The blame game begins. Where did we get it wrong? Not for the first time. Our soccer buffs have repeatedly shown their lack of leadership when picking coaches for our national teams. They rely on frivolous criteria, including name dropping of elite European managers recommending our morbid choices.  We are always told that such choices served as countless assistants to big and successful coaches just to browbeat us over their individual tactical savvy. Nobody dares to interrogate those picked since Nigerians only get to know the next coach at odd hours of the day through press releases.

    Lilliputian coaches are recruited without throwing the offer open to knowledgeable tacticians with credible credentials to attend interviews where they are drilled, so that the best are picked. Instead, we employ journeymen who sign mercenary contracts where they would be living in Europe to watch our boys most times on television, rather than attending those matches to establish good rapport with our players’ European managers.

    With this tardy arrangement, the coaches only remember Nigeria when they are challenged by their employers to either submit the lists of players to be invited for games, which could be done by mails or to find out when they would be in Nigeria for important competitions such as the World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, the Olympic Games, WAFU e.t.c. Nobody sees anything wrong with the setting, since our federation chieftains don’t have to bother about the manager’s welfare and other logistics to keep him in Nigeria without an official car, house and other domestic staff to make his stay worth his time spent.

    With handicapped coaches, we would find ourselves in a position where they can’t control our big boys. Our federation buffs forget that our better exposed players know good coaches when they see them. Such coaches’ philosophies prepare the players’ minds of what to expect from them. The result is the discotheque manner in which they report to camp for critical matches. Whereas other countries’ players who play regularly than our boys in the different European clubs get to their home countries 24 hours after their club matches, ours are spotted in parts of the country attending to family matters. The result is the chaotic manner in which our teams are prepared for competitions.

    Read Also: Batista’s sack casts doubts on Venezuela’s Friendly with Nigeria

    Equally disgusting is the impudence with which our players are kitted with gadgets tied around their necks and mouths while preparing for the days’ training sessions. This underscores the low quality of the coaches we employ to train the team. The other day when the players were taking a walk around their hotel, almost all of them had their ear drums covered with different gadgets dangling around their shoulders. Of course, wires are seen around their waists. Pray, our players can’t try this hogwash in their respective clubs. Let me save you dear reader, the thought of how disjointed they walked around the hotel’s premises, with the big boys strolling behind the other players leading the exercise from the front.

    One wonders why we are always late to take decisions on the future of the game here even when the broken roofs have killed many people and maimed others for life. The ugliness of football is such that we drew four of our home game, yet we expect to be ta the 2026 World Cup. It won’t happen. Our fire brigade approach to sporting events is primarily the reason for the dearth of sports in Nigeria, where influence peddlers get jobs that they’re ill-equipped for.

    If we know what is good for the game here, the government should make the task of rebuilding the Super Eagles such that the ultimate target would be to qualify the country for the 2030 World Cup with four matches to the end of the qualifiers. It is achievable with the right coaches and a group of not more than five knowledgeable Nigerians to reinvent the Super Eagles of our collective dream.

    If we ask the right people the coaches we need and how to interface with them through their agents, meetings can be organised to get the best man for the job before the end of October, especially if we start the search for a new coach now. The argument that the time to search for a new coach is too close is unacceptable. Super Eagles, the way it is structured and the coach that we have, including the federation chiefs and their NSC supervisors are bereft of ideas to stem the rot and would only lead us into another ditch.

    If we compute how much it has cost Nigeria to prosecute these World Cup qualifiers, we would recognise our folly that if only we had stepped back from the tearful past to recruit a Grade A European coach. England for her claim of being the originators of the beautiful game are going to the 2026 World Cup with a German coach Thomas Tuchel, who needs no introduction in world football. Tuchel and England have an 18 months contract which I dare say would be extended after the Mundial. England’s Three Lions have won all her five matches without conceding a goal, and only on Tuesday beat Serbia at home in Belgrade 5-0.

    According to a Reuters’ report on the Tuesday match: ”England have a maximum 15 points from five games and could even seal automatic qualification as group winners next month. Criticised for a laboured 2-0 home defeat of Andorra on Saturday, England produced their best performance under head coach Thomas Tuchel to punish a timid Serbia display.” I digress.

    My problem with those insisting on having a Nigerian coaching bench is that they are quick to multiply the going rate of the naira to the dollar when the figure of what foreign coaches earn comes to the fore. They forget the huge returns on this kind of investment if the team does well in such a major soccer competition as the senior World Cup. Nigeria is in very big trouble. The country must wake up to the fact our national flag won’t be hoisted among the comity of nations at the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. I’m not an alarmist.

    Nigeria doesn’t need journeymen European coaches who have traversed the continent losing games with aplomb. Indeed, we need young and enterprising coaches hungry for glory.

    The Super Eagles next game is an away match to Lesotho at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Oct. 10, before wrapping up their campaign on Oct. 16 against Benin Republic in Uyo. South Africa will play against Zimbabwe inside the Orlando Pirates Stadium in South Africa. Of course, Bafana Bafana’s last game is with Rwanda in South Africa, yet we are deluding ourselves that they won’t win Group C’s sole qualification ticket. These are fishes for the South Africans to fry on match days. They won’t bottle it.

    As it stands, South Africa remain in a strong position to top the group with 17 points from eight matches, while second placed Benin Republic are on 14 points.

    Fourth-placed Rwanda are tied on 11 points with Nigeria, while Lesotho (6 points) and Zimbabwe (4 points) complete the six-team table.

  • NFF should be disbanded if Nigeria misses 2026 World Cup, says Mikel Obi

    NFF should be disbanded if Nigeria misses 2026 World Cup, says Mikel Obi

    Former Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, has urged that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) be disbanded should the national team fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    Nigeria’s chances of reaching the tournament now hang by a thread after a draw against South Africa in the Group C qualifiers left the Eagles third on the table—six points adrift of the Bafana Bafana—with only two games remaining.

    Mikel blamed the team’s struggles on the NFF’s failure to put its house in order, insisting that the state of Nigerian football reflects the body’s poor leadership and lack of accountability.

    “If Nigeria doesn’t qualify for the World Cup, the entire NFF board has to go… It’s unacceptable,” the former Chelsea star said on the Obi One Podcast.

    “We didn’t qualify for Qatar — the last World Cup — and now it looks like again we are not going to make it. Honestly, I have nothing to say about it,” the ex-midfielder said.

    “It is just horrible. Do you blame the players? No, I don’t blame the players. Yes, the players have to take responsibility for the situation, but are you gonna blame the players alone? No.

    “Again, we talk about it so many times, and that’s why you have people disrespecting the African continent and football.

    Read Also: Rio 2016: Siasia refutes Mikel Obi claims on ticket purchase  for Olympic Eagles

    Mikel believes the people who run football in Nigeria should be held “accountable” for the country’s woeful outing in the qualifiers.

    “Yes, the players have to take responsibility, but the biggest challenge is from the top,” the ex-Lyn Oslo star said.

    The Super Eagles are on 11 points after eight matches, six behind leaders South Africa.

    While there are two matches to end the qualification race for Africa, Nigeria is at huge risk of not making it as one of the four second-best teams for a playoff.

    The qualification races return next month with Nigeria going away to Lesotho before welcoming neighbours, the Benin Republic.

    If they win the two games in other matches that go their way, the three-time African champions may sneak in as one of the best four teams for a play-off competition.