Sports

The National Sports Commission has reportedly become divided over the choice of chairman for a proposed Normalisation Committee following the resignation of Nigeria Football Federation President Ibrahim Gusau and other board members. The NFF leadership stepped down amid growing pressure over the management of Nigerian football, including concerns surrounding the use of funds and the poor performances of the country’s national teams. NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, also confirmed his resignation on Thursday, saying reports of his exit alongside Gusau were true. The leadership crisis has created the need for a Normalisation Committee to oversee the affairs of the federation and organise fresh elections. However, NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and Director-General Bukola Olopade were reportedly divided over who should lead the committee. Sources said Dikko was backing former NFF technical committee chairman Musa Ahmadu, while Olopade preferred former NFF president Amaju Pinnick. The disagreement was said to have stalled decisions and raised concerns among football stakeholders, with fears that prolonged administrative disputes could affect players, sponsors and Nigeria’s relationship with FIFA. The proposed Normalisation Committee is expected to oversee the NFF for about three months, with its major responsibility being to conduct fresh elections for a new executive board. The development could affect the NFF election earlier scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State. The crisis also followed investigations into the NFF’s management of the N17bn Federal Government intervention fund released to the federation for players’ wages and bonuses.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has warned Nigerian athletes and their families against signing scholarship agreements with agents or agencies without fully understanding the terms. AFN President Tonobok Okowa said the federation was monitoring such agreements and would intervene when deals were considered harmful to athletes’ education, careers or Nigeria’s interests. The warning followed allegations that an agency had been offering athletes scholarship deals containing risky clauses, including five-year agreements and a 25 per cent commission on earnings secured through the agency. Okowa clarified that the AFN had not authorised any agent or agency to provide scholarships to Nigerian athletes. He urged athletes and their families to seek proper legal advice before signing any agreement. He also stressed that minors should not enter such deals without the knowledge and consent of their parents or legal guardians. The federation said it had previously advised an athlete to terminate an agreement involving an agent and a school after determining that it was not in the athlete’s best interest. Okowa assured athletes that the AFN would continue to protect their welfare and ensure that scholarship opportunities contributed positively to their education, careers and development.

Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has urged the club to beat Arsenal to the signing of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen. Alderweireld said Tottenham needed a proven goalscorer after lacking goals last season, describing the Galatasaray forward as an ideal addition to manager Roberto De Zerbi’s attack. Tottenham had already spent heavily on new players this summer but were still looking to strengthen their forward line before the transfer window closed. Alderweireld also stressed the importance of having experienced players alongside younger talents. However, a move for Osimhen was expected to be difficult, with Arsenal also reportedly interested in the Nigerian striker.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria and South Africa’s Banyana Banyana will face off on Thursday in a crucial play-off as both teams battle to keep their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup alive. The two African giants were forced into the play-off after suffering quarter-final defeats at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria, who have won the continental title 10 times, lost 1-0 to Cameroon, while defending champions South Africa were beaten by hosts Morocco. The quarter-final defeats denied both teams automatic qualification for the World Cup, leaving them to compete for one of two available CAF places in the intercontinental play-offs, which will be held in two phases between November and February. Nigeria have historically dominated the rivalry, recording 15 victories in more than 23 meetings across friendlies, WAFCON matches and Olympic and World Cup qualifiers. However, South Africa have closed the gap in recent years. Banyana defeated Nigeria 2-1 in the group stage of the 2022 WAFCON before going on to win their first continental title. Nigeria later got the better of South Africa in a two-legged Olympic qualifying play-off to secure a place at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu admitted that the defeat to Cameroon highlighted the need for Nigeria to keep improving, insisting that the team would not take its traditional dominance for granted. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade also urged her teammates to put the disappointment of the quarter-final defeat behind them and focus on securing victory against South Africa. She said the team must use the setback as motivation and show its character in the face of adversity. Striker Uchenna Kanu revealed that the Cameroon defeat had deeply affected the players, with some struggling to eat after the loss. However, she said the squad had quickly shifted its focus towards the decisive encounter with South Africa. The winner of Thursday’s fixture will advance to the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament, where three remaining World Cup places will be contested. The highly anticipated clash is scheduled to kick off at 9pm Nigerian time on Thursday, with both sides needing victory to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

The race for the 2026/27 Turkish Super Lig Golden Boot is expected to be fiercely contested, with Victor Osimhen and Paul Onuachu facing new competition after sharing the last two scoring honours with Eldor Shomurodov. Osimhen, who plays for Galatasaray, won the 2024/25 Golden Boot after scoring 26 league goals and providing five assists. He finished that season with 37 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions. Although he was overtaken last season, when Onuachu and Shomurodov scored 22 league goals each, Osimhen still recorded 22 goals and eight assists in 33 matches for Galatasaray despite an injury-hit campaign. He will now target another Super Lig title and a strong Champions League campaign, with Galatasaray set to open their league season against newly promoted Corum on Friday. Onuachu, who shared last season’s Golden Boot with Shomurodov, will also be looking to retain his scoring crown with Trabzonspor. The Nigerian striker could benefit from the arrival of Mohamed Salah, although the Egyptian is also expected to compete for the scoring award. Salah joined Trabzonspor after nine years at Liverpool, where he scored 257 goals and registered 123 assists in 442 appearances across all competitions. He scored 46 goals and provided 33 assists over his final two seasons in England, making him one of the biggest threats to the established Golden Boot contenders. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku is set to join Fenerbahce and could provide another major challenge. The Belgian striker is moving to Turkey from Napoli, where he scored 15 goals and recorded 11 assists in two seasons. Injuries limited him to just seven appearances in his second campaign. Lukaku will hope to rediscover his best form in Turkey after an impressive World Cup outing with Belgium. With Osimhen, Onuachu, Shomurodov, Salah and Lukaku all in the mix, the 2026/27 Super Lig season promises an intriguing battle for the Golden Boot.

Albanian heavyweight boxer Kristian Prenga has admitted that Anthony Joshua’s punching power was too much to handle during their bout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Prenga suffered the first knockdown of his career in the fight after Joshua recovered from being knocked down twice in the opening round and stopped him in the second round. The 35-year-old, who entered the bout with a 20-1 record, said Joshua’s power played a major role in the defeat, noting that he had never previously been knocked down, including during sparring. Prenga had initially stunned Joshua with a right uppercut that floored the British-Nigerian twice in the first round. However, Joshua quickly recovered and ended the contest in the following round. The fight marked a major step up in competition for Prenga, whose biggest victory before facing Joshua came against Joey Dawejko in 2024. After the victory, Joshua dedicated the win to his late friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, who died in a car crash in Nigeria in December. Joshua said the victory was about more than his punching power, describing the late men as his brothers and saying their deaths had been difficult for him and their families.

Super Falcons forward Rinsola Babajide says Nigeria are fully prepared for their crucial 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Cameroon. The defending champions will face the Indomitable Lionesses at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca at 6pm on Sunday, with a place in the semi-finals and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup at stake. Nigeria finished second in Group C after a difficult start, while Cameroon topped Group D unbeaten. Babajide said the team understands the importance of the encounter and is ready for the challenge. “We are very excited to face Cameroon. We have played against them a couple of times before; we know their strengths, we are prepared, and ready to face them,” she said. The forward described the match as the biggest game of her career because of the opportunity to secure a World Cup ticket. She added that the team’s priority is to win, whether it is to defend their WAFCON title or secure qualification for the 2027 World Cup. Nigeria are aiming for a record-extending 11th WAFCON title, but must defeat Cameroon to keep their title defence alive. A victory will also guarantee the Super Falcons a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has urged the Spanish club to sign Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen as the ideal replacement for Robert Lewandowski following the veteran forward’s departure to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire. Iniesta believes Osimhen possesses the qualities needed to spearhead Hansi Flick’s attack, especially as Barcelona continue to face difficulties in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, who remains the club’s preferred transfer target. Speaking in an interview with NTV Spor, the former Spain international said Barcelona should prioritise signing an out-and-out striker if Ferran Torres leaves the club. According to Iniesta, while youngster Lamine Yamal is an exceptional talent, he should not be deployed as a central striker. He described Osimhen as one of the best options available to replace Lewandowski and recommended that sporting director Deco pursue a deal for the Super Eagles forward. Osimhen’s reputation has continued to grow following another productive campaign with Galatasaray, where he played a key role in the club’s 2025/26 Turkish Super Lig title triumph. Despite missing several matches due to a forearm injury and the Africa Cup of Nations, the Nigerian striker recorded 15 league goals and five assists in 22 appearances. The 2023 African Player of the Year also became the fastest player to reach 50 goals for Galatasaray, achieving the milestone in just 59 matches. His performances included a decisive brace against Antalyaspor to secure the league title and a goal in the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahce after returning from injury. However, a move to Barcelona could be complicated by financial considerations. Reports indicate that Osimhen is seeking an annual net salary of around €15 million, a figure that would significantly increase the club’s wage bill under Spain’s tax structure and pose registration challenges under La Liga’s financial regulations. Despite the financial hurdles, the striker is reportedly willing to reduce his salary demands to facilitate a transfer. He had previously shown a similar willingness during discussions with Atletico Madrid, although the Spanish club eventually abandoned the move after deciding not to part with Julian Alvarez. Galatasaray are also expected to demand between €70 million and €75 million for the Nigerian international, who has scored 35 goals in 52 appearances for the Super Eagles. While Barcelona continue to monitor the situation, sporting director Deco remains focused on securing Alvarez. The club has already strengthened its attack with the arrivals of Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon but is still searching for a recognised number nine, with Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic also under consideration. Meanwhile, Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing Osimhen before the transfer window closes.