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Category: Sports

NNL Opener: All Roads Lead to Lafia for Basira, Jets Clash

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FC Basira of Lafia will today in Lafia take to the pitch against Mighty Jets FC Jos in the first match of the Nigeria National League 2025/26 Season — a fixture packed with intrigue and promise. The two teams are set to launch the NNL season with this fixture after venue change: originally the opener was to be another match, but due to stadium suitability issues the Basira Vs Jets game was selected. The ‘Most Important League’ begins fully on 16th Nov, but this opener has extra spotlight, as both clubs possess character and charisma. Local supporter- interest and atmosphere are expected to be high. For FC Basira, playing at home will give them the advantage. Crowd support may be strong and could help them come out with energy early, and no doubt, they will want to start the campaign confidently—getting off the mark with a win will boost morale and set the tone for their season. For Mighty Jets, the away trip means they will need to show discipline and composure, especially in front of a partisan crowd. As visitors, hitting on counter attacks or set-pieces may be a good strategy if FC Basira start brightly. Starting the season with a result (win or draw) will be important to build momentum. A tight game is foreseen. The NNL has announced that the winner of the opening match will claim a bonus of ₦56,000.

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2026 FIFA World Cup Playoffs: Chelle Picks Ekong, Osimhen, Moses, 21 Others for Big Battles

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Captain William Ekong, ace forward Victor Osimhen, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, and defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel and Calvin Bassey have been included in Nigeria’s 24-man list for next week’s 2026 FIFA World Cup African Play-off Tournament in Rabat, Morocco. Super Eagles’ Head Coach Eric Chelle has also included 89-cap midfielder Alex Iwobi, exciting young defender Benjamin Fredericks, midfielders Frank Onyeka and Wilfred Ndidi, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman. Nigeria will take on Gabon in the first semi-final scheduled for the 22,000 – capacity Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat, with Cameroon confronting the Democratic Republic of Congo in the other semi-final at the 18,000 – capacity El-Barid Stadium, also in Rabat. Chelle has also recalled goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and Spain-based forward Chidera Ejuke, with midfielder Raphael Onyedika and forwards Tolu Arokodare, Jerome Akor Adams and Olusegun Olakunle also on the roster. Defender Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, suspended for one game after accumulating two yellow cards in the 10-match qualifying campaign, will miss the clash with the Panthers on Thursday. The players are scheduled to fly into Morocco from their different bases in Europe and elsewhere, to converge in Rabat on Monday, 10th November. 24 SUPER EAGLES FOR 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP AFRICA PLAY-OFF TOURNAMENT Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC, Belgium) Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium) Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia)

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Anthony Joshua May Fight in Ghana on December 20

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Anthony Joshua and Matchroom Boxing will co-promote a show in Ghana, Africa, on December 20, and there remains a chance that Joshua could yet appear on that bill.   Joshua has longed for a fight in Africa, and the Legon Sports Stadium event is topped by the attractive light-heavyweight clash between Craig Richards and Dan Azeez, with Indian star Nishant Dev and heavyweight prospect Leo Atang also slated to appear.   BoxingScene understands that Joshua is in the frame to fight, although any announcement on his next steps would likely only be confirmed by the former heavyweight champion himself.   Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn has been inundated with inquiries about Joshua’s return and, asked recently by Boxing Social whether Joshua could box in 2025, Hearn said: “Possibly.”   Then, Hearn added: “There will be no big-name fight this year. It wouldn’t be a headline, it wouldn’t be a pay-per-view, you don’t have to moan about it, it can just be part of something that’s already existed and on sale – so there would be no one moaning. It’s just part of the development of getting into position of being 100 per cent ready for the big gamble.   “If he fights this year, he won’t headline. We want to work almost in silence and improve and get into the mode of being 100 per cent ready. This is about development and a bit of activity. It’s not about the money, it’s if we’re working on things… sometimes if you’ve been out of the ring for so long and you’re working on things, maybe you’ve got other people in different camps you’re working with, you don’t want to go back to an arena in front of 80,000 in a really tough fight and know that you’ve got to get it right after 16 months… This is for us. This is for ‘AJ’.”   Ghana has lifted its brief ban on professional boxing after two fatalities in the country’s prize rings.   The Ghana Boxing Federation’s interim management committee and their medical sub-committee filed “an upgraded draft of comprehensive medical and safety protocols for boxing in Ghana”, having worked closely with the National Sports Authority and Ministry of Sports and Recreation.   Whether or not Joshua attends in a capacity other than a co-promoter remains to be seen, but Hearn told Boxing Social: “We’re going to get him in prime condition for the big one, and that’s all that matters.”   Asked what “the big one” was, Hearn responded: “Tyson Fury.”  

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Amorim, Bryan Mbeumo Win Premier League Awards

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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim and his ward Bryan Mbeumo have been named the Premier League manager and Player for October. Amorim secured wins against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton during an uplifting month for the club. The 40-year-old claimed back-to-back league wins for the first time in the Premier League against Liverpool at Anfield, with Harry Maguire scoring a late headed goal to seal a 2-1 victory. Similarly, Mbeumo played a pivotal role in all three of Man United’s victories in October. During the 2-0 win over Sunderland, Mbeumo provided a crucial assist to Mason Mount, who opened the scoring. He then scored within just two minutes of play to hand United a crucial lead over Liverpool, with the visitors holding out for a 2-1 triumph. In what was arguable his finest moment of October, Mbeumo scored two goals to give United an emphatic 4-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. While a phenomenal month for Mbeumo, this forms just part of what has been a scintillating season for the forward to date. Since arriving at Old Trafford in the summer transfer window, Mbeumo has been an instant success. In ten Premier League appearances, Mbeumo has netted four goals and grabbed an assist. He has also exhibited much quality on the ball, with 80% passing including 90% accuracy from within his own half.

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CAF Announces Expansion of WAFCON to 16 Teams from 2026

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The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved the expansion of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams, starting with the next edition to be staged in Morocco from 17 March-3 April 2026. As the qualification phase for the 2026 edition has already been completed, the Executive Committee has approved the selection mechanism to determine the four additional Teams. Based on the current FIFA Women’s World Rankings, the top four teams from those eliminated in the final qualifying round have been selected to complete the list of participants. The following teams will therefore join the finals of the CAF WAFCON Morocco 2026: Cameroon (66th in the FIFA ranking), Cote d’Ivoire (71), Mali (79) and Egypt (95). They are in addition to the 12 nations already qualified for the tournament: Morocco (host country), Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Cape Verde, South Africa and Senegal. The decision is in line with CAF’s strategic vision to strengthen the competitiveness and development of women’s football on the African continent. This will allow more nations to participate in African women’s football’s flagship competition, contributing to its continued growth and global reach. The CAF WAFCON also serves as the continental qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.

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Mbappe, Dembele, Others Battle for FIFA Best Player of the Year Award

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Real Madrid striker, Kylian Mbappé will slug out with Paris Saint Germain forward Ousamane Dembele for the 2025 FIFA Best Palyer of the Award. FIFA, however, is inviting the global football community to help decide which of the beautiful game’s leading lights should be nominated for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025. The highlight of the year was the success of the new FIFA Club World Cup in June and July, when 32 of the leading clubs on the planet came together in the United States for the first time in football history, with 2.5 million attending in person and billions more watching on around the world. Players and coaches have taken the world’s number-one sport to new heights, enchanting billions of fans worldwide at these show-stopping competitions. The tenth edition of The Best FIFA Football Awards will honour only the finest individuals and groups of individuals in the game. A panel of experts on women’s football, representing various FIFA and external football stakeholders, have compiled a shortlist of 11 female players for The Best FIFA Women’s Player, five women’s football coaches for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach and five female goalkeepers for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper. A panel of men’s football specialists have drawn up equivalent male shortlists for The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach and The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper. In addition to the awarding of the above-mentioned prizes, The Best FIFA Women’s 11 and The Best FIFA Men’s 11 will be named, and the FIFA Fan Award will be bestowed on an individual or group of individuals that have gone above and beyond to show their love and passion for the game. Find out everything you need to know about The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025 –including how to vote – on FIFA.com . The coaches and captains of all 211 FIFA Member Associations’ women’s national teams will now be invited to select three outstanding candidates for each of the three women’s awards. In addition, the coaches and captains of all 211 FIFA Member Associations’ men’s national teams will be given the opportunity to choose their top three candidates for the trio of men’s awards. Media representatives (various journalists who cover the women’s and men’s games) and fans registered on FIFA.com can also vote on each of the awards. The four groups of voters have the same electoral weight, irrespective of the actual number of voters in each group (i.e. the votes of the coaches, captains, specialist journalists and fans will each make up 25% of the poll, regardless of the number of voters in each group). As was the case in previous editions, a dedicated voting application is being used for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025. Shortlist voting commenced on 6 November 2025 and will conclude at 23:59 CET on 28 November 2025. Nominees in full The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees – Sandy Baltimore, France and Chelsea – Nathalie Björn, Sweden and Chelsea – Aitana Bonmatí, Spain and Barcelona – Lucy Bronze, England and Chelsea – Mariona Caldentey, Spain and Arsenal – Temwa Chawinga, Malawi and Kansas City Current – Kadidiatou Diani, France and Olympique Lyonnais – Melchie Dumornay, Haiti and Olympique Lyonnais – Patri Guijarro, Spain and Barcelona – Lindsey Heaps, USA and Olympique Lyonnais – Lauren James, England and Chelsea – Chloe Kelly, England and Manchester City/Arsenal – Ewa Pajor, Poland and Barcelona – Clàudia Pina, Spain and Barcelona – Alexia Putellas, Spain and Barcelona – Alessia Russo, England and Arsenal – Leah Williamson, England and Arsenal The Best FIFA Men’s Player nominees – Ousmane Dembélé, France and Paris Saint-Germain – Achraf Hakimi, Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain – Harry Kane, England and FC Bayern München – Kylian Mbappé, France and Real Madrid – Nuno Mendes, Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain – Cole Palmer, England and Chelsea – Pedri, Spain and Barcelona – Raphinha, Brazil and Barcelona – Mohamed Salah, Egypt and Liverpool – Vitinha, Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain – Lamine Yamal, Spain and Barcelona The Best FIFA Women’s Coach nominees – Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea – Jonatan Giráldez, Washington Spirit/Olympique Lyonnais – Seb Hines, Orlando Pride – Renée Slegers, Arsenal – Sarina Wiegman, England The Best FIFA Men’s Coach nominees – Javier Aguirre, Mexico – Mikel Arteta, Arsenal – Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain – Hansi Flick, Barcelona – Enzo Maresca, Chelsea – Roberto Martínez, Portugal – Arne Slot, Liverpool The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper nominees – Ann-Katrin Berger, Germany and Gotham FC – Cata Coll, Spain and Barcelona – Christiane Endler, Chile and Olympique Lyonnais – Hannah Hampton, England and Chelsea – Anna Moorhouse, England and Orlando Pride – Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nigeria and Paris FC/Brighton & Hove Albion – Phallon Tullis-Joyce, USA and Manchester United The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper nominees – Alisson Becker, Brazil and Liverpool – Thibaut Courtois, Belgium and Real Madrid – Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy and Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester City – Emiliano Martínez, Argentina and Aston Villa – Manuel Neuer, Germany and FC Bayern München – David Raya, Spain and Arsenal – Yann Sommer, Switzerland and Internazionale Milano – Wojciech Szczęsny, Poland and Barcelona FIFA Fan Award nominees – Alejandro Ciganotto (ARG) – Manolo el del Bombo (ESP) (posthumous) – Zakho fans (IRQ)

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NFF Wraps Up CAF B-License Coaching Course

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President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON) has charged participants at the CAF B-License coaching course to adroitly apply themselves to what they have learnt in the course of the programme that spanned over seven months and four modules. Gusau, who is also President of the WAFU-B Zone, made this exhortation in Abuja on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the coaching course. The first module of the course took place 7th – 12th April, while the second module commenced on Monday, 6th October and ended on 10th October. The third module took place 20th – 24th October, and the fourth and final module was implemented from Monday, 3rd November. “I take pride in our achievements thus far, and although we have a year remaining in our tenure, I remain hopeful that, by the grace of God, we will reach our intended goals. Since assuming office, we have facilitated the CAF B, CAF C and CAF D License programs. The CAF C was exclusively for women – an important step considering Nigeria’s prominence in women’s football across Africa,” he stated. He further emphasized the importance of involving former international players in these initiatives, highlighting, “We recognize the wealth of experience among our ex-internationals, and it is essential to harness their expertise within these programs. Additionally, by organising coaching instructor courses at the zonal level, we aim to create a sustainable model where coaches can receive training without the need to travel to Abuja.” Gusau also expressed his satisfaction upon receiving positive feedback from the CAF Education Officer, Mr. Honour Janza who noted the impressive level of commitment and professionalism displayed by the participating coaches throughout the program. The NFF President confirmed his administration’s intention to conduct a CAF A License coaching course before the end of his tenure in September next year. “We are diligently working with the technical department, coaches, and instructors to initiate the CAF A License course within the first quarter of the upcoming year,” he assured. Lastly, Gusau urged the coaches to apply their knowledge in practice, expressing a desire to see them represented in coaching roles in other African countries. “We aspire not only for our coaches to gain certificates but also to engage internationally, sharing ideas and knowledge. There are coaches, such as one from Tanzania involved in this course, whom we hope to see coaching in various clubs across Africa.” Among those present were the First Vice President of the NFF, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agu; General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, MON; Deputy General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme; NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Davidson Owumi; Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen; NNL Chairman, Chief George Aluo; CAF Education Officer, Honour Janza; NFF Head of Education, Dr Terry Eguaoje; Coaching Instructor, Ambassador Henry Abiodun; Coaching Instructor, Mr. Abdulrafiu Yusuf; NFF Director of Media and Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire and; NFF Internal Auditor, Mr. Godson Iyere.

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Ademola Lookman In Fierce Altercation With His Coach

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Ademola Lookman had to be held back during a furious row after being grabbed by his Atalanta manager Ivan Juric on Wednesday night. The former Everton winger, 28, was substituted in the home Champions League game against Marseille that the Italian side went on to win 1-0. And as Lookman came off the pitch, there was an exchange of words between him and Juric, seemingly about his annoyance at being brought off. Juric then reacted and called back at his player, grabbing him at the same time before CEO Luca Percassi and team-mate Marten de Roon on the bench intervened to prevent the situation escalating further. Lookman appeared shocked and angered by his manager’s decision to get physical and the incident occurred in the 75th minute with the score 0-0. After the game, Juric went over to the Nigerian and they exchanged words again, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, but it is not known whether that was to smooth things over or continue the dispute. This is not the first time the winger, who has a brilliant record at Atalanta with 40 goals in 99 games and a hattrick in a Europa League final win, has been at the centre of controversy at the club. Lookman, who never quite made the grade in England and had loan spells at Fulham and Leicester City, was embroiled in a very public row with former boss Gian Piero Gasperini earlier this year. After a Champions League defeat by Club Brugge, Gasperini described the player as being ‘one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen’. Lookman took to social media and said: ‘Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful. ‘Not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo.’ He tried to force his way out of the club in the summer transfer window and Inter Milan bid £32million for him. There was also interest from PSG and other big sides leading to another messy situation, with Lookman again publicly calling out the club. He said in a statement: ‘Despite now receiving an offer in alignment to what I believe had been discussed, sadly the club are blocking the opportunity for reasons I do not understand. As a result and after many months of broken promises and what I feel has been poor treatment towards me as both a human being and as a professional footballer, sadly I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right and I feel that enough is enough.’ But ultimately an exit was not sanctioned and he has been reintegrated, playing eight times this season. The latest incident with Juric now indicates a January transfer may be the best solution for all parties. Lookman has been with Atalanta since 2022 and in that time has made himself arguably the most important player at the club. His attacking output during that time has been unrivalled for La Dea and has seen him blossom later in his career. He began at Charlton and represented England, his country of birth, at age group levels before playing for Nigeria on the senior stage. A £7.5m move to Everton did not work out and he was loaned to RB Leipzig, who then signed him permanently before loaning him to Fulham and Leicester. Atalanta took a punt on him for £13m, which has proved to be a real bargain even if he does end up leaving under a cloud unless he can patch things up with Juric in the weeks ahead.

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