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Tag: Nigeria

U20 World Cup: Flying Eagles Head for 12-Day Camping in Chile

Fola Badmus04 mins

Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles, have departed the country for Chile, as they countenance a 12-day final phase camping in the South American nation ahead of their participation in this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals. Seven-time African champions Nigeria will play all their Group F matches at the Estadio Fiscal in Talca, a city 250 kilometres from the Chilean capital, Santiago. They will first confront Norway on Monday, 29th September, before clashes with Saudi Arabia (2nd October) and Colombia (5th October). A team of 20 players and 11 officials (midfielder Daniel Daga will join the team in Chile from his base in Norway) departed from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday evening, aboard a Turkish Airline flight to Istanbul, where the contingent will connect to Santiago – venue of their final phase camping. The seven-time African champions had training sessions in Abuja for some weeks, before Sunday’s departure. The 24th FIFA U20 World Cup finals will be played across the cities of Santiago, Rancagua, Valparaiso and Talca. The competition, which started as the FIFA World Youth Tournament, was launched in 1977 and was first hosted by Tunisia. Nigeria were narrowly edged by Korea Republic after extra time in the semi finals at the last championship hosted by Argentina. The country finished as runners-up in 1989 in Saudi Arabia and in 2005 in The Netherlands. Group A is headed by hosts Chile, and also has New Zealand, Japan and Egypt, while Group B entertains South Korea, Ukraine, Paraguay and Panama. Brazil heads Group C that also has Mexico, Morocco and Spain, while Group D includes Italy, Australia, Cuba and multiple winners Argentina. USA, New Caledonia, France and South Africa make up Group E. FLYING EAGLES FOR 2025 FIFA U20 WORLD CUP FINALS Goalkeepers: Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos); Clinton Ezekiel (Bayelsa United); Rufa’i Abubakar (Mavlon FC) Defenders: Ocheche Amos Onyejefu (Stade de Reims, France); Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos); Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United); Marvelous Avberosou (Ikorodu City); Alatan Azuka (36 Lions); Akinyele Ahmed Olamide (Remo Stars) Midfielders: Israel Ayuma (NK Istra, Croatia); Emmanuel Ekowoicho (FC Montana, Bulgaria); Mustapha Kamaldeen (Kwara Football Academy); Daniel Daga (Molde FC, Norway); Auwal Ibrahim (Akwa United); Nasiru Salihu (Qabala FC, Azerbaijan) Forwards: Achichi Oseer (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Sani Suleman (AS Trencin, Slovakia); Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC); Kparobo Arierhi (Lillestrom SK, Norway); Charles Agaba (NK Istra, Croatia); Abdullahi Shitu Ele (Manchester City FC, England)

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U20 Women’s W’Cup Qualifiers: Falconets to Depart for Kigali on Thursday

Fola Badmus02 mins

Two-time World Cup silver-medallists Nigeria will kick off their race to next year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals when they take on their Rwandan counterparts on Sunday, in a second round, first leg encounter in Kigali. The Falconets are scheduled to depart the country on Thursday for the clash with the Rwandan U20 girls. Germany, which denied Nigeria the trophy and gold medals in 2010 (Germany) and 2014 (Canada), and like Nigeria, had appeared in every edition of the competition since it was launched in 2002, failed to qualify for next year’s finals. The clash with the Rwandan counterparts will take place at the Kigali Pele Stadium, formerly known as Stade Regional de Nyamirambo. The Confederation of African Football has appointed match officials from Sierra Leone and Liberia to take charge of proceedings of the encounter in Kigali. Aminata Fullah will be the referee, with Liberian Hannah Lydia Moses as assistant referee 1 and another Sierra Leonean, Fatmata Mansaray as assistant referee 2. The fourth official is Love Tuu Wehyee from Liberia. Militna Ivanete Amrie from Seychelles will be the commissioner while Amegee Aissata Ameyo will be the referee assessor.

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Morocco 2025: Flamingos Trash Algeria 4-0 Confident of Victory in Algiers After Naira Rain

U17 Women’s W’Cup: Flamingos Notch Two Wins in Friendly Matches

Fola Badmus02 mins

Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, continued their preparation for the upcoming FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco with back-to-back victories in friendly matches at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja. On Friday, 12th September 2025, the Flamingos overpowered Horvel Angels 2–0, with Chisom Nwachukwu pouncing on a goalkeeper error for the opener before Kaosara Olanrewaju sealed the win in the second half with a composed strike. They followed it up on Saturday, 13th September 2025, with a resounding 5–0 triumph over Nazareth Angels. After a dominant first half, the Falconets raced to a 2-0 lead. Itodore Destiny added a third shortly after the restart before Terlumu Tabitha and Chisom Nwachukwu completed the rout with fine finishes as the Flamingos showcased their attacking depth despite several missed chances. The victories underline the team’s growing sharpness in front of goal and defensive discipline as they gear up for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup holding 17th October – 8th November in Morocco, where Nigeria will face Canada, France, and Samoa in Group D. All players called up are currently in camp, giving head coach Bankole Olowookere a full complement of options as the technical crew look to fine-tune their squad for the tournament.

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Int’l Friendlies: Flying Eagles to Take on Chile, Australia

Fola Badmus01 mins

The Nigeria Football Federation has finalized arrangements for the U20 boys, Flying Eagles to sharpen their skills and competition-readiness with two friendly games against host nation Chile and Australia, ahead of this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals. Head of International Competitions, Dayo Enebi Achor, confirmed that the two-time silver medallists of the FIFA U20 World Cup will take on host nation Chile, who play in Group A of the competition alongside New Zealand, Japan and Egypt, on Saturday, 20th September. Nigeria, who also won the bronze medals when then USSR hosted the championship in 1985, will then confront Australia, who play in Group D alongside Italy, Cuba and Argentina, on Tuesday, 23rd September. Nigeria reached the quarter-finals of the last edition hosted by Argentina before a one-goal defeat by Korea Republic after extra-time in Santiago del Estero.

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HFN To Hold Players’ and Technical Representatives Election on September 15

Fola Badmus04 mins

The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has announced that elections to fill the positions of Players’ Representative and Technical Representative on its Board will be held on Monday, September 15, 2025, at the Velodrome of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. According to a statement signed by the Secretary General of the Federation, Mrs Monica Otumala, the electoral process, which will be strictly governed by the recently released guidelines by the National Sports Commission (NSC) for elections of the National Sports Federations will begin with accreditation of delegates at 8:30 a.m prompt to 10:00 a.m after which voting will begin immediately. Any delegate who fail to complete accreditation within the allotted time will not be allowed to participate. Mrs Otumala explained that the election for the Technical Representative will be decided by one referee and one coach from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while the Players’ Representative will be elected by one player from each state and the FCT. In a move to ensure the integrity and smooth running of the election, Mrs Otumala said that every voting delegate must present an official Nomination Letter duly signed and stamped by their respective State Sports Councils or Commissions. She warned that there will be a thorough verification process to authenticate the source of all nomination letters presented “Elections into the office of the technical representative shall involve ONE Referee and ONE Coach from the 37 affiliates of HFN that is 36 states and FCT while Athletes’ representative shall involve only one player per state and the FCT “Every delegate coming for the election must come along with a nomination letter duly signed and stamped from their state sports councils or sport commission to enable them vote. There will be verification of the letter to authenticate its source” Mrs Otumala said. Mrs Otumala revealed that Federation has fixed Thursday, September 11, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. as the deadline for the submission of completed nomination forms at its Secretariat inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. The HFN Secretary General gave assurances that the elections will be conducted in line with its constitution while emphasizing the Federation’s commitment to transparency and fairness in the process.

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Can Nigeria Still Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup After South Africa Draw?

Can Nigeria Still Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup After South Africa Draw?

Fola Badmus04 mins

By: Kamal Yalwa: September 9, 2025 Nigeria’s quest to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains uncertain following a 1-1 draw with South Africa in a crucial Group C qualifier on Tuesday evening in Bloemfontein. The result, while hard-fought, leaves the Super Eagles further adrift in the race for an automatic qualification spot and raises pressing questions: Can Nigeria still qualify for the World Cup? Here’s what we know. Tuesday’s draw was yet another frustrating chapter in what has been a turbulent qualifying campaign for Nigeria. Missing key players, most notably striker Victor Osimhen due to injury, the Super Eagles once again showed flashes of quality — but failed to convert chances into three points. An own goal by William Troost-Ekong gave South Africa the lead before Calvin Bassey headed in the equaliser before half-time. Despite dominating parts of the second half, Nigeria couldn’t find a winner, leaving them outside the automatic qualification places. South Africa remain top of Group C, maintaining a comfortable lead over their rivals. Nigeria, meanwhile, are now at risk of falling behind both South Africa and another key contender depending on other matchday results. With only the top team in each group guaranteed automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria’s position is precarious. Nigeria still has matches left to play, but the margin for error is now virtually non-existent. To stand a chance of direct qualification, the Super Eagles must: If direct qualification slips out of reach, Nigeria could still be in contention for a CAF play-off spot, which allows certain group runners-up to fight for a final place via intercontinental play-offs. The draw against South Africa underlined some of the team’s recurring issues — defensive lapses, missed chances, and lack of consistency in attack. Head coach Eric Sekou Chelle now faces increasing pressure to turn things around quickly. While qualification remains mathematically possible, the Super Eagles must deliver near-perfect performances in their remaining matches — and hope results elsewhere go their way. Yes, Nigeria can still qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — but the path is now steep, and every remaining game is effectively a must-win. Anything less, and Africa’s most populous nation could miss out on football’s biggest stage.

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South Africa vs Nigeria: World Cup qualifier – start, team news and lineups

South Africa vs Nigeria: Lineups, Team News and What’s at Stake in Crucial World Cup Qualifier

Fola Badmus06 mins

Bloemfontein, South Africa — A high-stakes clash awaits as Group C leaders South Africa host Nigeria in a pivotal CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. With only two matchdays remaining in the first round of African qualifiers, the outcome of this match could reshape the group standings and heavily influence who makes it to North America for the expanded 48-team tournament. Match DetailsWho: South Africa vs NigeriaCompetition: CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier – Group CVenue: Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinDate: Tuesday, September 9Kick-off: 6:00 PM local time (16:00 GMT)Live coverage: Al Jazeera Sport live text commentary from 13:30 GMT Group Leaders: South Africa’s Road to the World Cup Bafana Bafana come into the fixture unbeaten at home during this qualifying campaign, with solid wins over Benin (2-1), Zimbabwe (3-1), and Lesotho (3-0). They currently sit top of Group C with 16 points and a +8 goal difference, five clear of Nigeria. A victory on Tuesday would all but guarantee qualification, leaving only a minimal mathematical chance for rivals to catch up. But head coach Hugo Broos will be forced to reshuffle his defense after injuries to Nyiko Mobbie and Thabo Brendon Moloisane. Kaizer Chiefs’ Thabiso Monyane is expected to deputise, while Lyle Foster, fresh off a goal and assist against Lesotho, will lead the attack. Nigeria’s Must-Win Mission For the Super Eagles, the road to World Cup qualification is narrowing. Currently third in the group with 10 points, Nigeria must beat South Africa to revive their chances of topping the group and qualifying directly. Their challenge, however, is complicated by the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen, ruled out due to a chin injury sustained during their 1-0 win over Rwanda on Friday. Head coach Eric Chelle is likely to turn to Tolu Arokodare to spearhead the attack, with Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Alex Iwobi expected to provide attacking support. Cyriel Dessers and Samuel Chukwueze are also options off the bench. Group C Standings (After 7 Matches)South Africa: 16 pts (+8 GD)Benin: 11 pts (0 GD)Nigeria: 10 pts (+2 GD)Rwanda: 8 pts (-1 GD)Lesotho: 6 pts (-4 GD)Zimbabwe: 4 pts (-5 GD) What’s at Stake? Only the group winner qualifies directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The four best runners-up across the nine CAF groups will enter an intercontinental playoff for one final African spot. Nigeria must win against South Africa and in their remaining matches against Lesotho and Benin to have any hope of winning the group or securing a playoff place. Last Five Matches South Africa: W W W W WNigeria: D W D D W Head-to-Head Record Since 2004Played: 13Nigeria Wins: 6South Africa Wins: 1Draws: 6 The last time South Africa and Nigeria met in Bloemfontein was during the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, where Nigeria won 2-1. Predicted Starting LineupsSouth Africa (4-2-3-1): Williams (GK); Mdunyelwa, Ndamane, Monyane, Modiba; Mokoena, Mbatha; Nkota, Mbule, Appollis; FosterNigeria (4-3-3): Nwabali (GK); Aina, Fredrick, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Onyedika, Ndidi, Iwobi; Simon, Lookman, Arokodare How to Follow Follow Al Jazeera Sport for pre-match coverage from 13:30 GMT, followed by live text commentary, in-depth analysis, and post-match reactions. This clash is more than a qualifier — it’s a battle for continental supremacy and survival. Can Nigeria revive their campaign without Osimhen? Or will South Africa seal qualification at home in front of a roaring Bloemfontein crowd?

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Dozens of people killed in assault on village in Nigeria’s Borno State

Dozens Killed in Boko Haram Attack on Borno Village Amid Security Lapses

Fola Badmus05 mins

By Kamal Yalwa: BORNO STATE, NIGERIA – September 6, 2025 At least 55 people, including six soldiers, have been killed in a brutal attack on the village of Darul Jama in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State, as concerns mount over renewed Boko Haram activity and the government’s policy of returning displaced civilians to vulnerable areas. Eyewitnesses and local officials said the assault occurred late Friday night when suspected Boko Haram fighters stormed the village on motorbikes, opening fire on residents and torching homes. The attack targeted a community near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, where many families had only recently resettled after years in displacement camps. Estimates of the death toll vary. While a government-aligned militia commander, Babagana Ibrahim, confirmed 55 fatalities to AFP, the village’s traditional leader told Reuters that at least 70 bodies had been recovered by Saturday morning, with more residents missing in the surrounding bush. “They went house to house, killing men and leaving women behind. Almost every household is affected,” the traditional leader said, speaking anonymously for security reasons. Over 20 houses and 10 vehicles were destroyed in the assault. According to survivors, the military was warned three days in advance about the gathering of Boko Haram fighters in the area but failed to act. “They overwhelmed the soldiers, who fled with us to Bama,” said Babagana Mala, a resident who escaped the attack by fleeing 46km to the town of Bama. Many of the victims were among recently relocated families from a displacement camp at Bama’s Government Secondary School, which the authorities had shut down earlier this year as part of a broader resettlement policy. “The government told us we would be safe here,” said Hajja Fati, a mother of five who lost her brother in the attack. “Now we are burying our people again.” The massacre has reignited debate over Nigeria’s strategy of closing internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and relocating civilians back to rural communities—areas that remain targets for militant groups. Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast since 2009, seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate. The conflict has killed over 40,000 people and displaced more than two million, mostly in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states. A splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), broke away in 2016 and has been increasingly active. According to Good Governance Africa, a nonprofit tracking insecurity in the region, there were approximately 300 attacks in the first half of 2025, mostly by ISWAP, resulting in around 500 civilian deat A security source told AFP that the Darul Jama assault was likely led by Ali Ngulde, a notorious Boko Haram commander believed to operate in the region near the Cameroon border. Despite intensified military operations in Borno State, including airstrikes and ground patrols, communities continue to face high risks from armed groups operating across forested terrain and porous borders.

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