Sports

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have retained their 26th position in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings but have dropped to fourth in Africa following Egypt’s impressive run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The rankings, released by FIFA on Monday, show Nigeria unchanged on 1,585.2 points. The Super Eagles remain ahead of Turkey, Australia, Algeria, Canada and Ivory Coast, who occupy 27th to 31st positions respectively. Nigeria have not played a competitive match since June, when Eric Chelle’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Portugal in an international friendly. Although their global ranking remains unchanged, the Super Eagles lost their place among Africa’s top three after Egypt advanced to the Round of 16 at the World Cup before losing 3-2 to Argentina. The Pharaohs’ strong tournament performance lifted them above Nigeria in the continental rankings. Morocco remain Africa’s highest-ranked team after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals, climbing one place to sixth in the world. Senegal continue to rank second in Africa despite slipping three places globally, while Algeria remain fifth on the continent after dropping one spot in the world rankings. Despite missing out on the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria remain the second-highest-ranked nation not to qualify for the tournament, behind Denmark, who are 21st in the world. The Super Eagles’ absence from the expanded 48-team competition has continued to draw criticism from football personalities. Former England captain John Terry recently described Nigeria as one of the biggest teams missing from this year’s tournament. Nigeria narrowly missed qualification after finishing second behind South Africa in their CAF qualifying group. They kept their hopes alive by defeating Gabon in the playoff semi-final but were eliminated after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the playoff final. The defeat marked Nigeria’s second consecutive failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, having also missed the 2022 edition in Qatar. Following the playoff loss, the Nigeria Football Federation challenged DR Congo’s qualification, alleging the team fielded ineligible players during the campaign. FIFA dismissed the appeal. At the top of the latest rankings, newly crowned world champions Spain reclaimed the No. 1 spot after winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina dropped to second, while France, England and Brazil complete the top five. FIFA is scheduled to release its next men’s world rankings on October 7, 2026.

Jody Solomons, the mother of one of late South African footballer Jayden Adams’ children, has paid an emotional tribute to the former Bafana Bafana midfielder in a touching TikTok post that has resonated with football fans across South Africa. The video features their son, Jude, alongside the song Sengithole Omunye by Feza featuring Chulumanco M, a track that became synonymous with Adams after clips of him dancing to it with teammate Oswin Appollis during the 2026 FIFA World Cup went viral. The tribute comes just days after Adams’ tragic death. Reports indicate that the midfielder died by suicide shortly after returning from the World Cup, where he played a key role in helping South Africa reach the knockout stages. Born in 2024, Jude appeared in a collection of photos shared by Solomons, with many social media users commenting on the striking resemblance between the toddler and his late father. Adams’ passing has left the South African football community in mourning, with teammates, supporters and football stakeholders remembering him as one of the country’s most promising talents. At the time of his death, Adams was in a long-term relationship with Aqueelah Adendorf. The couple, who were reportedly together from 2021, share a five-year-old daughter, Allaia-Jayda. Although the details surrounding Adams’ relationship with Solomons have not been made public, she has previously shared TikTok posts about raising Jude largely as a single mother. In one post, Solomons reflected on motherhood, saying she believed she was meant to become a mother even if marriage or a romantic relationship was never part of her life journey. In another, she suggested she had been left to raise Jude without support despite once being in a relationship with his father. Following Adams’ death, Solomons also shared a separate tribute dedicated to the late footballer. The loss has been deeply felt within the Bafana Bafana camp. Speaking during a memorial service in Stellenbosch on July 16, captain Ronwen Williams vowed that the national team would continue to honour Adams’ memory every time they took to the field. Adams’ father, Juanito Adams, has also spoken about the family’s grief, expressing appreciation for the outpouring of love and support received from the football community during the difficult period.

Veteran English referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from professional officiating, bringing to an end a distinguished 20-year career that saw him oversee 831 matches. The 47-year-old Manchester official officiated 668 domestic professional games, including every major domestic cup final in England. Taylor was promoted to the Premier League refereeing panel in 2010 and went on to officiate at four major international tournaments the 2022 and 2026 FIFA World Cups, as well as the UEFA Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 championships. In total, he handled 163 international fixtures, with his final match being the FIFA World Cup round of 16 encounter between Portugal and Spain earlier this month. Announcing his retirement on the official England Football website, Taylor described officiating at the highest level as a privilege despite the demands of the role. “Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant,” he said. “The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to my two assistants Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn, my refereeing colleagues and everyone connected with the game for all their support over the years. “Most importantly, I want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout the immense sacrifices this career has demanded.”