Sports

Rivers Hoopers have reclaimed the Nigeria Premier Basketball League title after an unbeaten run in the 2026 Final Four playoffs in Port Harcourt. The KingsMen secured the championship with a game to spare after defeating Gboko City Chiefs 88-76 on Monday, before beating Maktown Flyers 92-90 in overtime on Tuesday. The victory gave Rivers Hoopers their seventh NPBL title and also avenged their narrow 74-72 defeat to Maktown in last season’s championship final. The team’s triumph also earns them a place in the 2027 Basketball Africa League, marking their return to the continental competition after missing the previous season.

Nigeria A have opened their campaign at the Nigeria T20 Quadrangular Series with a 33-run victory over Sierra Leone. The Nigerian side put up a strong performance and maintained control throughout the contest. Nigeria A successfully defended their total to secure their first win of the tournament. The victory gives the team an early boost as the four-nation competition continues. Nigeria will now look to build on the result in their remaining matches of the series.

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s upcoming AFCON qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau due to a lingering groin injury. The 27-year-old was initially named in Eric Chelle’s squad, but his recovery has taken longer than expected. Super Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe says Osimhen’s rehabilitation is still ongoing after he suffered a muscle strain while playing for Galatasaray earlier this month. Osimhen was forced off after 33 minutes against Istanbul Basaksehir on September 5 and has missed Galatasaray’s recent matches. Nigeria will face Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 25 before travelling to Guinea-Bissau four days later. Taiwo Awoniyi has been called up as Osimhen’s replacement for the qualifiers.

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has ended her 2026 season with a second-place finish in the women’s 100-metre hurdles at the Athlos meeting in London. Amusan clocked 12.51 seconds at the StoneX Stadium, finishing just 0.01 seconds behind American Alaysha Johnson, who won the race in 12.50 seconds. The Nigerian athlete earned 35-thousand dollars in prize money for her second-place finish. Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton finished third in 12.63 seconds, while Jamaica’s Danielle Williams was fourth. Amusan had earlier finished second behind American Masai Russell at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where she ran 12.34 seconds. Her London performance brings her 2026 season to a close.

Nigerian chess players are confident of making a strong showing at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Nigeria is represented by 10 players, five men and five women, at the competition which runs from September 15 to 27. Nigeria’s number-one chess player, Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, says the team has a strong mix of experienced players and young talents and is targeting a category medal. One of the youngest members of the team is 15-year-old Ekunke Goodness, who is making his Olympiad debut after winning the World Rapid Amateur Chess Championship in Abuja last month. Goodness says he is not feeling pressured and is determined to perform at his best on the global stage. The women’s team also features teenage player Michelle Nwankwo, while Deborah Quickpen says her preparations have given her confidence ahead of the tournament. The Olympiad features a record 400 national teams competing in the Open and Women’s sections, with Team Nigeria beginning its campaign today.

Several Nigerian footballers are enjoying a return to form with their European clubs after difficult spells at previous teams. Tolu Arokodare has made a strong start since joining Ajax on a season-long loan from Wolves. The striker has scored six goals and provided three assists in 11 appearances across all competitions. Kelechi Iheanacho is also enjoying a scoring run in Turkey with Bursaspor. The 29-year-old has scored nine goals and provided two assists in seven consecutive games, making him the league’s top scorer. Gift Orban has also found his form at Amedspor. The 24-year-old has scored six goals and recorded one assist in five league matches, putting him level with Victor Osimhen as the joint top scorer in the Turkish Super Lig. Meanwhile, Samuel Chukwueze is getting another opportunity to make an impact at AC Milan. After struggling during his first two seasons, he has adapted to a wing-back role and already has two assists in four matches this season.

FIFA says it has yet to decide on the next steps regarding the Nigeria Football Federation following the resignation of its president, Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other Executive Committee members. FIFA and the Confederation of African Football are currently assessing the legal, administrative, governance and electoral implications of the crisis. The planned September 27 NFF election has been suspended while the assessment continues. FIFA and CAF are also planning to visit Abuja to meet with NFF officials, Congress members, electoral bodies and the National Sports Commission before deciding on the way forward.

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen was hopeful of returning to action for Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon next week after suffering a groin injury in the club’s 3–2 victory over Istanbul Başakşehir on Friday. The Nigerian forward was substituted in the 33rd minute after feeling discomfort but remained optimistic about featuring against the Portuguese side if Galatasaray’s medical and coaching staff cleared him to play. Osimhen had earlier opened the scoring with a fine finish after being set up by Lucas Torreira before he was forced off. Galatasaray later confirmed that he had suffered strain and pain in his right adductor muscle and had commenced treatment. The Turkish champions said Osimhen and teammate Mario Lemina were undergoing further medical examinations, including MRI scans, with the assessments expected to be completed on Sunday. Osimhen’s availability would be a major boost for Galatasaray as they prepare for their Champions League encounter. His fitness would also be monitored by Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan had urged promoters of the proposed Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury heavyweight bout to stage the highly anticipated fight at Wembley Stadium. Khan had said London had a strong history of hosting major heavyweight boxing events involving both fighters and appealed to promoters to consider the fans who had supported Joshua and Fury over the years. However, Tyson Fury had later confirmed that the fight would take place at Madison Square Garden in New York, ending speculation over the venue. The bout was expected to hold in November, with November 20 reportedly being the target date. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, had maintained that his camp preferred the fight to be held in the United Kingdom, citing concerns over taxation in the United States.