Sports

The Nigeria Football Federation has announced a 23-man squad for upcoming international friendlies against Iran and Jordan, with captain Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Ademola Lookman leading the list. Head coach Eric Chelle confirmed the selection on Wednesday, March 18, naming a balanced squad that includes both established players and new call-ups. The matches will now be played in Antalya, Turkey. The Super Eagles are set to face Iran on March 27 before taking on Jordan on March 31, with both fixtures moved from Amman due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Also included in the squad are Maduka Okoye, Semi Ajayi, Frank Onyeka, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Akor Adams, and Paul Onuachu. New faces in the squad include Emmanuel Fernandez, Philip Otele, and Collins Yira So...

Senegal captain, Idrissa Gueye, has voiced his disappointment following the decision by the Confederation of African Football to overturn the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final result—awarding the title to Morocco and stripping Senegal of their championship status. The ruling abruptly ended what had been a moment of celebration for Senegal, who initially believed they had secured victory in the final held in Rabat. The reversal has since sparked widespread reactions across the football community. Gueye, who led the team during the final, shared his thoughts via Instagram on March 18, reflecting on the situation with a mix of disappointment and perspective. “Titles, trophies, medals… all of that is only temporary,” he wrote, emphasizing that what truly matters is the safety and un...

The Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football has acknowledged CAF’s Appeal Board ruling following the disputed AFCON 2025 final. In a statement on its official website, the federation said its appeal was aimed at ensuring proper application of competition rules, not disputing the sporting merit of any team. “The Federation reiterates that its approach has always been grounded in respect for the rules and stability of African competitions,” it stated. The Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football also commended all participating nations, describing the tournament as significant for African football development. It said a detailed position would be released after a meeting of its governing bodies scheduled for Wednesday. The federation added that the forthcoming statement wou...

The Senegalese Football Federation has rejected the decision of the Confederation of African Football Appeal Board awarding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco and confirmed it will challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Morocco were on Tuesday crowned champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football Appeal Board overturned the result of the final against Senegal, ruling that the West African side forfeited the match following a walk-off during the game in Rabat on January 19. CAF stated that “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football.”...

A Nigerian footballer, Chinonso Jeremiah Obi, has been hospitalised for injury sustained following a knife attack in Lithuania. Obi suffered a knife attack while his club, FK Dianava was preparing to travel for a league one match against Taurus in Taurage.  Obi was st@bbed near an apartment building on Naujoji Street in Alytus around 11:am on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. He was walking to the location where the team was supposed to leave for Tauragė, when the attacker, a 2007-born male, st@bbed him from behind. Obi was st@bbed in the stomach, buttocks, and arm, before the assailant was overpowered and detained by the club’s administrator. Passersby helped Obi who was then transported to hospital where the 20-year-old Lagos-born player’s condition is said to be criti...

The captain of the Iranian women's football team has withdrawn her bid for Australian asylum, making her the fifth member of the delegation to change her mind. Zahra Ghanbari will fly from Malaysia back to Iran, news agency IRNA reported on Sunday. Australian officials confirmed another member had dropped their asylum application but did not identify them. It comes a day after authorities reported three other women had withdrawn their claims. The footballers had originally sought sanctuary after concerns that the team would face repercussions for staying silent during the country's anthem at their opening Asian Cup match. The latest withdrawal means that, of the seven to initially accept Australia's offer of humanitarian visas, only two now remain in the country as defecto...

Getafe star, Abdel Abqar was sent off for allegedly 'pinching an opponent's genitals' during their weekend clash against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano in Madrid. With Atletico leading 1-0 through Nahuel Molina's first-half strike, referee Miguel Ortiz Arias halted play and signalled a VAR check for something that had happened off the ball. Replays then showed Abqar clashing with Atletico striker Alexander Sorloth. In the clip, the Moroccan defender appeared to pinch Sorloth’s groin with his thumb and index finger as he walked past him. In retaliation, Sorloth immediately pulled Abqar to the floor. After a lengthy review of the VAR monitor, Arias made the decision to show a red card to Abqar, while Sorloth received a yellow card. However, Abqar was left shocked by the ...

Joan Laporta has secured another five-year term as president of FC Barcelona, promising a bright future for the Catalan giants after winning the club’s latest presidential election. Laporta, 63, received just over 68 per cent of the votes and will officially begin his new mandate on July 1, the La Liga club confirmed on Sunday. His closest rival, Victor Font, obtained nearly 30 per cent of the votes, while the remaining ballots were either void or invalid. Laporta had temporarily stepped down from his position last month, in accordance with club regulations, to recontest the presidency. He originally returned to power in March 2021 during his current tenure. Reacting to the election outcome, Laporta described the victory as decisive and expressed confidence about the club’s fut...

The much-anticipated 2026 Finalissima between Spain national football team and Argentina national football team has been cancelled, according to an official statement from UEFA. The intercontinental showdown was scheduled for March 28 and was expected to feature Spain, winners of UEFA Euro 2024, against Argentina, champions of the 2024 Copa América. The match was initially planned for March 27 in Doha, the capital of Qatar. However, UEFA explained that the fixture could not proceed due to the current political tensions in the Middle East. In its statement, the European football governing body said the Finalissima, originally set to be staged in Qatar, had to be called off because of the prevailing situation in the region. UEFA also noted that despite attempts to keep the match ...

The Nigeria national football team will now play their upcoming international friendlies against Jordan national football team and Iran national football team in Turkey later this month after organisers moved the fixtures from Jordan due to rising tensions in the Middle East. The matches were originally scheduled to take place in Amman, the capital of Jordan, but have been relocated to the coastal city of Antalya in Turkey because of security concerns and travel restrictions affecting the region. Nigeria will begin their two-game schedule against Iran on Friday, March 27, before facing Jordan four days later on Tuesday, March 31. Under the revised arrangement, the Super Eagles will meet Iran on the same day Jordan take on Costa Rica national football team. The series of friendlies...