Tag: General Sports

Super Eagles and Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has sent message to Nigerians following his visit to Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh.

After a hugely successful season with the Foxes which saw them clinch Premier League promotion at the end of the English Championship season, Wilfred Ndidi is back in Nigeria and made a stop at the Sports Minister’s office.

After their session, the dynamic midfielder took to social media with a message of gratitude to Nigerians for the support he enjoyed during his injury spell.

In an emotional post on Instagram, Ndidi thanked all Nigerians who supported and prayed for him during his recovery period. He specifically acknowledged Minister John Enoh for closely monitoring Nigerian athletes, especially during their times of injury. Ndidi praised Enoh for his assistance during the challenging period, emphasizing the physical and psychological toll of injuries.

READ MORE: Super Eagles star visits sports minister

Additionally, Ndidi expressed appreciation for the support and encouragement he received from the country’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, during his difficult times.

“I wish to thank all Nigerians who supported and prayed for me during my injury and long layoff when I missed the Nations Cup,” Wilfred Ndidi wrote on Instagram.

Ndidi added: “I thank him (Sports Minister) for his help during a very difficult time in my life. Injuries are both physical and psychological.”

Ndidi played a key role in helping Leicester secure an immediate return to the Premier League after being part of their relegation last season.

The Nigerian midfielder scored four goals and provided five assists from a new advanced midfield position as the Foxes won the Championship title.

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Brazil will make history when the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament is played on its soil.

In a recent announcement by World Football Governing body (FIFA), Brazil has been selected to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, marking the first time the tournament will be held in South America.

The decision was made at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, where Brazil won the majority of votes to beat a joint bid from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.

This event is expected to significantly impact women’s football in Brazil and the South American region, thus promoting gender equality in sports.

With this historic development, the iconic Maracana will become the first stadium in the 21st century to stage the men’s & women’s World Cup Final (the third in history).

They became the first nation to be handed the rights by an open vote, with member associations voting 119 to 78 in favour of Brazil at Fifa’s congress in Bangkok on Friday.

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“Congratulations to Brazil,” Fifa president Gianni Infantino said.

“We will have the best World Cup in Brazil. Many thanks as well to the BNG bid, who have been fantastic.”

Both bids met hosting criteria, but Brazil scored higher on technical aspects covering areas such as stadiums, accommodation, fan zones and transport in a Fifa bid evaluation report.

The United States and Mexico withdrew their joint bid in April, saying they would focus on bidding for the tournament in 2031, while South Africa did the same in November.

“We knew we would be celebrating a victory for South American women’s soccer and for women,” said president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, Ednaldo Rodrigues.

“You can be sure, with no vanity, we will accomplish the best World Cup for women.”

Valesca Araujo, the operational manager of Brazil’s bid team, added: “We are working on a transformation, not only for the country but for the continent.”

Brazil hosted the men’s World Cup in 1950 and 2014.

The 10th edition of the Women’s World Cup will follow the same 32-team format as was used in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, where Spain were crowned champions after defeating England in the final.

China, Sweden, the United States, Germany, Canada and France have all also previously hosted the competition.

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Greek-Nigerian basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has been named the fifth highest-earning athlete in Forbes’ 2024 rankings, boasting an annual income of $111 million from both on-court and off-court ventures.

Forbes estimates his on-field earnings at $46 million, with an additional $65 million derived from endorsements and other activities. Giannis trails basketball legend LeBron James, who is fourth with $128.2 million in earnings.

Ahead of Giannis are soccer star Lionel Messi, third with $135 million, golfer Jon Rahm, second with $218 million, and soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo, who tops the list with an estimated $260 million, largely due to his $200 million annual salary from Al Nassr, a club in the Saudi Pro League.

Despite a challenging season with the Milwaukee Bucks, which included a calf injury, a midseason coaching change, and an early playoff exit, Giannis has continued to thrive off the court. He launched his production company in January and partnered with Pepsi’s Starry soft drink in February. Later this year, Giannis will unveil his sixth signature sneaker with Nike, further bolstering his off-court presence.

As the son of immigrants from Nigeria, Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo was born in Athens, Greece, on December 6, 1994. His father (Charles) was a soccer player and his mother (Veronica) was a high jumper in Nigeria. Giannis began his basketball journey with the youth teams of Filathlitikos in his hometown. He joined the senior team in 2011 before being drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013.

In the 2016–17 NBA season, Giannis made history by leading the Bucks in all major statistical categories, earning the Most Improved Player award in 2017. He has since become an eight-time All-Star and has captained the All-Star team in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024, showcasing his immense popularity and influence.

Giannis won consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards in 2019 and 2020, a distinction shared with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James. In 2020, he also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, joining Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. His crowning achievement came in 2021 when he led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years, earning the Finals MVP title.

Giannis’ commercial success is equally impressive. He signed a five-year, $228 million supermax extension with the Bucks in December 2020, followed by a three-year extension in October 2023. His on-court success has triggered significant bonuses from sponsors like Nike. The launch of his Zoom Freak 1 in 2019 was the largest initial signature shoe release in Nike basketball history. Additionally, Disney produced a film based on Giannis’ life titled “Rise,” which premiered on Disney+ in June 2022.

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Chippa United goalie Stanley Nwabali has fueled speculation about his future while revealing his opinion about the salary structure in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL).

In an interview with Far Post, Nwabali didn’t hold back on the financial disparity between West African leagues and others.

“The (South African) league, the pay is a little bit nice for a certain level of your team. It’s not like in West Africa where our league are not that good. We want to go to Europe, we want to go to South Africa, we want to go to Morocco, all those kinds of leagues, if your league is nice, there’s no point leaving,” he said verbatim.

Nwabali’s comments come amidst transfer rumors linking him to clubs in Saudi Arabia and Europe, with South African powerhouse Kaizer Chiefs also said to be interested.

The 27-year-old’s heroics between the sticks garnered attention at the recent African Cup of Nations, where he was a dependable figure for Nigeria’s Super Eagles who emerged second best at the tournament.

Born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Nwabali started his football journey there. He played for second-division side Go Round FC before going on to represent different top-tier teams including Enyimba, Katsina United and Lobi Stars before landing his big move to South Africa’s PSL.

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Elijah Ani, a former player for Rangers International and now with Bugesera in Rwanda, has confirmed that the Rwandan Football Association (RFA) has approached him about playing for the national team, Amavubi.

Ani finished the 2023/24 Rwanda Super League season as the joint top scorer with 15 goals, tied with fellow Nigerian Victor Mbaoma. Despite his success, Ani has never played for Nigeria at any level, making it easier for him to switch and play for Rwanda as they prepare for the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

“Yes, I have been approached by the authorities, and I am ready to play for Rwanda. It will be a big dream come true for me,” Ani told reporters. “Let’s see how it goes in the coming days, and we will see the way forward. Now, everything is in their hands,” he added.

Since he has never played for Nigeria, Ani can join the Rwandan team without any problems. After his impressive first season in Rwanda, he has also drawn interest from top local clubs like Rayon Sports, AS Kigali, and Police FC.

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The Badminton World Federation has confirmed that two athletes will represent Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games starting on 28th August in France. 

Nigeria will be represented in para-badminton at the Paralympic Games for the first time.

Multiple African Champion Mariam Eniola Bolaji will showcase her skills in the Women’s Singles Standing Lower 3 (SL3) category, while Jeremiah Chigozie will represent the nation in the Men’s Singles Standing Lower 4 (SL4) event.

Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), sees the qualification as a testament to the athletes’ relentless hard work, consistency, and perseverance. He emphasized on Nigeria’s strong medal potential, citing Bolaji and Chigozie’s impressive track record of gold medals at the African Championships.

“Today, history has been made as two players for the first time will be representing Nigeria in the para badminton event at the Paralympic Games,” Orbih said. “I am full of joy because the sacrifices of the players and the Federation were not in vain.”

Bolaji, currently ranked 5th in the world, has been on a roll this season, including victories at the Spanish Para Badminton International tournaments. Chigozie, ranked 16th globally, also boasts a strong showing with a bronze medal at the Uganda Para Badminton International and a trio of gold medals at the African Championships.

Orbih believes that with proper training camps, international exposure, and adequate funding, Nigeria has a real shot at claiming a Para Badminton medal in Paris.

“With adequate camping, foreign tours and proper funding, I believe Nigeria will win a medal in the Para Badminton event when we make our debut this year,” Orbih declared.

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Nigeria’s representatives at the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL), Rivers Hoopers will face Senegal’s AS Douanes in one of the four seeding games in the playoffs, following the adoption of a new format.

The match between Rivers Hoopers and AS Douanes follows their previous encounters in the Sahara Conference held last week in Dakar.

This marks a departure from the former Basketball Africa League format. Now, teams are paired based on their overall performance across all three conferences in this season’s playoffs, rather than advancing straight to the knockout stage (quarterfinals).

Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers, champions of the Sahara Conference, currently occupy the third position in the overall standings. They trail behind FUS Rabat of Morocco, champions of the Kalahari Conference, in second place, and Al Ahly of Egypt, winners of the Nile Conference, who lead the standings.

AS Douanes secured the fourth spot in the rankings, followed by Petro de Luanda (5th), US Monastir (6th), Al Ahly Libya (7th), and Cape Town Tigers (8th).

READ MORE: BAL playoffs: Nigeria’s reps clinch ticket as Savannah Conference champions

The outcome of the match between Rivers Hoopers and AS Douanes (Game 40) will determine their opponents in the quarterfinals.

The victorious side will face the winner between Petro de Luanda and US Monastir (Game 39), while the loser will confront the loser of Game 39 in the quarterfinal.

In addition to the Rivers Hoopers’ fixture against AS Douanes, other seeding games include clashes between Al Ahly and FUS Rabat, Petro de Luanda and US Monastir, and Al Ahly Libya and Cape Town Tigers.

Scheduled for 24-25 May, the seeding games will precede the quarterfinals, which are set to commence on Sunday, 26th May at the BK Arena in Kigali.

As Rivers Hoopers continue their preparations for the playoffs, they are expected to depart for Kigali later this weekend.

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Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi will be in action when his English Premier League club, Fulham FC face Luton Town in their final game of the 2023/2024 season this weekend.

Ahead of the the Premier League matchday 38 fixture,  Alex Iwobi has highligted one record he will love to break on Sunday.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Fulham FC midfielder, Alex Iwobi, is setting his sights on breaking his personal goal-scoring record on the final day of the 2023/2024 English Premier League season.

Iwobi, who has netted 6 goals this season, matching his tally from the 2018/2019 season with Arsenal, is eager to surpass this milestone as Fulham faces relegation-threatened Luton Town on Sunday.

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Reflecting on the season, Iwobi described it as a “bit of a roller coaster” but pointed out the positive moments that he and his team have experienced. Expressing his optimism, he stated, “I’ve had my best goal-scoring record again, hopefully, I can break it against Luton but it’s been a good season.”

Acknowledging the support of his teammates and coach Marcos Silva, Iwobi expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome he received upon joining Fulham and highlighted his enjoyment of being back in London.

As he looks ahead, Iwobi is determined to build on his achievements and continue his upward trajectory. “I just want to kick on from this season and keep improving,” he affirmed, underscoring his commitment to personal growth and success.

With anticipation building for the Premier League finale, fans eagerly await to see if Iwobi can achieve his goal and cap off the season with a memorable performance.

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Ola match balls will be used for the first time in CAF competitions as the Confederations Cup and Champions League finals take centre stage in Egypt and Tunisia respectively.

The balls which CAF made in collaboration with PUMA is designed with several colours patched into different shapes on a white canvas of leather-sphere.

According to CAF’s official website, the name of the match balls for the finals are referenced in Yoruba and Arabic languages.

“OLA,” which means “wealth,” “honour,” and “respect” in Yoruba, and “rise” and “success” in Arabic, was chosen to symbolize the dynamic and energetic nature of African football,” CAF stated in an official press release.

The Yoruba language, predominantly spoken in Nigeria by the Yoruba tribe, dates back to the 4th century B.C and has over 45 million speakers scattered across Nigeria, Benin, Togo and parts of Gambia and Ivory Coast.

Fans in Tunis will witness the Ola in action during the Champions League Final first leg between Espérance Sportive de Tunis and Al Ahly.

Similarly, the Cairo International Stadium will see the Ola take centre stage during the second leg of the Confederation Cup Final between Zamalek and RS Berkane.

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The chances of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets qualifying for the next FIFA U17 World Cup has received a significant boost with increased slots for Africa.

FIFA have made significant improvements to the FIFA U17 World Cup with a substantial increase in slots allocation, marking a significant milestone for youth football development.

The previous edition was contested by 24 teams and now FIFA have announced that the upcoming tournament will feature 48 teams, doubling the participation and providing more opportunities for young talents worldwide.

In the 2023 edition hosted by Indonesia, Africa was represented by four teams: Morocco, Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso. However, FIFA have confirmed that Africa will see a notable increase in representation, with 10 teams set to compete in the 2025 edition.

Africa boasts the most titles in the FIFA U17 World Cup, with Nigeria clinching the title five times (1985, 1993, 2007, 2013, 2015) and Ghana securing victory twice (1991, 1995), a testament of the continent’s football prowess at the youth level.

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The allocation of slots has also been enhanced across all continents, with Asia receiving 9 slots, CONCACAF 8 slots, South America 7 slots, Oceania 3 slots, and Europe leading with 11 slots.

FIFA’s decision aims to provide young talents with greater exposure and opportunities at an early stage, prompting the transition of the tournament from a biennial event to an annual one.

The defending champions, Germany, claimed victory in the 2023 edition by defeating France 4-3 on penalties following a thrilling 2-2 draw in regular time.

The upcoming 20th edition of the FIFA U17 World Cup will be hosted in Qatar, marking the beginning of a new era as Qatar will also host the subsequent five editions annually from 2025 to 2029.

The expanded slots allocation reflects FIFA’s commitment to fostering youth football development and creating a global platform for aspiring young footballers to showcase their talent on the world stage.

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