Sports Groove

France captain Kylian Mbappe missed training on Tuesday after developing flu-like symptoms, casting doubt ‌over his availability for the team's upcoming Nations League fixtures, the French Football Federation (FFF) said. The Real Madrid forward remained at France's ⁠training base while the rest of Zidane's squad took part in the session. The session was the second overseen by new France coach Zinedine Zidane, who is preparing for his first match in charge when France ‌face ⁠Turkey in Kocaeli on Friday. France are also scheduled to play Belgium home and away and host Italy during ⁠the international window. Mbappe's condition adds an early selection concern for Zidane as he ⁠begins his tenure with the national team, after replacing his former ⁠France teammate Didier Deschamps following the World Cup.

Premier League champions Arsenal have agreed an improved contract with manager Mikel Arteta, the BBC reported on ‌Tuesday. Arteta's deal was due to expire at the end of the season and negotiations over an extension had been ongoing for several months. Arsenal co-chair Josh ⁠Kroenke said in May that securing Arteta's future was the club's priority after the Spaniard guided the North London side to their first league title in 22 years last season. Arteta reiterated his commitment to the club ‌this ⁠year amid speculation over his future. The 44-year-old Spaniard has transformed Arsenal since taking charge in 2019, ending the club's long wait for ⁠a Premier League crown last season after three runners-up finishes in a row. Arsenal have made a ⁠strong start to their title defence, winning their opening four league matches before ⁠suffering a 3-0 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde has been diagnosed with a grade-three sprain in his left ‌ankle, the Spanish club said on Tuesday. The Uruguay international sustained the injury during Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Atletico Madrid after a heavy challenge ⁠from winger Lee Kang-in, an incident that did not result in a booking. Valverde completed the match but was later found to have suffered significant trauma to the ankle. A grade-three sprain is the most serious type of ligament injury ⁠and involves a complete tear of the affected ligament. Spanish media reports said Valverde ⁠is expected to be sidelined for between two and three weeks, ⁠ruling him out of Uruguay's upcoming international fixtures.

By Maxwell Kumoye      The Super Eagles of Nigeria have stepped up preparations for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with all 23 invited players now in camp in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Wilfred Ndidi and Samuel Chukwueze were the final arrivals, joining their teammates ahead of the team's evening training session to complete the squad assembled by head coach Éric Chelle. Chelle and his entire technical crew are also on ground at the team’s base, where preparations have moved into full swing ahead of Nigeria's opening qualifying fixture against Madagascar on Friday, September 25, 2026. Among those already in camp are former African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman, midfield playmaker Alex Iwobi and highly-rated youngster George Ilenikhena, who received his first invitation to the senior national team. The three-time African champions will host Madagascar's Barea in Uyo before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau in their next qualifying assig...

By Maxwell Kumoye     Nigeria will return to action on Wednesday, September 23, as the country takes on Rwanda in the classification phase of the 2026 African Men's Nations Volleyball Championship in Tunis, Tunisia. The encounter, scheduled for 12:00 noon at the El Menzah Hall, will determine Nigeria's position among the teams finishing between fifth and eighth at the continental championship. Nigeria, whose campaign has included a quarter-final defeat to Morocco, will be looking to respond strongly and finish the tournament on a positive note against a Rwandan side also competing for a higher classification. It's Game 28 of the championship, with Nigeria set to wear white jerseys, while the team's libero will be dressed in green. Rwanda will play in a blue-and-yellow combination, with its libero in yellow. Elsewhere in the classification matches, Ghana will face Egypt at 3:00 p.m. in another 5th–8th placement encounter. The day's programme will then shi...

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye Rivers Hoopers are champions of Nigeria once again. The Port Harcourt-based side clinched the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League title on Monday after an 88-76 victory over Gboko City Chiefs at the NPBL Final Four, ending the championship hopes of defending champions Maktown Flyers in the process. Hoopers’ triumph was set up earlier in the day when Aso Sky Hawks defeated Maktown 72-64, leaving the defending champions unable to keep pace with the 2024 champions. It was a painful afternoon for Maktown, who needed a victory to remain in the title race. The defending champions appeared on course for a positive result after taking the first quarter 19-16 and moving seven points clear in the second. Aso, however, gradually turned the contest around. The Hawks levelled at 36-36 late in the second quarter before their defence began to dictate the contest. Aso forced Maktown into 12 turnovers before halftime and finished the opening half with...

By Maxwell Kumoye   Team Nigeria recorded a poor run in Round 6 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with the men suffering a heavy defeat to Vietnam while the women also fell to Austria. The results leave both Nigerian teams with plenty to fight for in the remaining rounds of the prestigious global team championship. Nigeria’s men's team suffered a difficult outing against Vietnam, losing 4–0 in their Round 6 encounter. The result ended Nigeria’s run of three victories and leaves the men with six match points from six rounds, having recorded three wins and three defeats. Nigeria had earlier produced an impressive response in Round 5, defeating Malawi 3½–½, but the team could not reproduce that performance against a strong Vietnamese side. The Round 6 setback highlights the level of competition Nigeria is facing as the Olympiad enters its second half. The Nigerian women also endured disappointment, going down 3–1 to Austria. The defeat leaves the wo...

Kylian Mbappe says being managed by Zinedine Zidane for the French national team is "like something out of a movie". The pair will work together for the first time during ‌this international break, as Zidane returns to management five years after leaving Real Madrid. Last week Mbappe referred to Zidane as "the player who most embodies the France team", noting that he left an indelible mark on French football. Zidane confirmed last week that Mbappe would continue as France captain. Speaking to Spanish paper AS, Mbappe explained that Zidane was present in his career from his formative years. "Yes, years ago (he took me to Real Madrid's training ground)," said Mbappe. "He was the first, to pick me up ‌and ⁠take me to Real Madrid, to the training complex. I was 13 or 14, it was ages ago." "And now he’s my national team coach. It’s like something out of a movie, but he's top-level." Zidane replaced his former France ⁠team...

Netherlands coach Xavi Hernandez wants more intensity from his team and for them to take the initiative ‌in their Nations League matches this month, he said on Monday. The former World Cup winner with Spain, who is also a former Barcelona coach, takes charge of his first match with the Dutch when they host Germany in Amsterdam on Thursday, followed by two games against Serbia and a trip to Greece in the expanded international window. Xavi said he would be insisting on hard work and application ⁠from the 26-man squad, whom he was meeting for the first time on Monday. “Everything is new for me and for the staff so it will first be to get to know each other, know all the players, insist or convince them about our way to play,” he told a press conference. “We don't have too much time. But no excuses, every coach is in the same situation. “I want to explain the values that we want from the squad. I want to show them that I'm open for them, I want to help them. I want to ...

  By Maxwell Kumoye   Cameroon has secured their place in the semifinals of the 2026 CAVB Men’s African Nations Volleyball Championship in Tunis, Tunisia, after edging Ghana 3-2 in a dramatic quarterfinal clash. The Indomitable Lions prevailed in a thrilling five-set encounter, winning 25-21, 19-25, 23-25, 25-23, 16-14 to book their spot in the last four. Cameroon made a strong start by taking the opening set 25-21, but Ghana responded impressively, winning the next two sets 25-19 and 25-23 to move within one set of victory. Refusing to surrender, Cameroon fought back in the fourth set, edging Ghana 25-23 to force a decisive fifth set. The final set produced another tense battle, with Cameroon holding their nerve to win 16-14 and complete a remarkable comeback. The victory sends Cameroon into the semifinals, while Ghana's impressive campaign comes to an end at the quarterfinal stage. The result was the 24th match of Day 8 of the championship, with both teams produc...

By Maxwell Kumoye    Team Nigeria’s men and women both moved to six match points after contrasting results in Round Five of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The men bounced back emphatically from their previous-round defeat to Cuba, dismantling Malawi 3½-½, while the women battled to a 2-2 draw against the Czech Republic on Sunday. In the Open section, Bomo Lovet Kigigha shared the points with Joseph Mwale on the top board, but Nigeria dominated the remaining boards. Abdulrahman Akintoye Abdulraheem defeated Chiletso Chipanga, Odion Aikhoje overcame George Mwale and 15-year-old Odey Goodness Ekunke completed the victory with a win over Joseph Xavier Nyambalo. Aikhoje and Ekunke have now collected 3½ points each after five games, while Abdulraheem has 2½ and Kigigha has two points. The result takes Nigeria to six match points from five rounds, having recorded three match victories and suffered two defeats. The women, meanwhile, had to settle fo...

...Beyond athletics, cites India's medal growth and global exposure ...Three terms on World Athletics Council another for me By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye       World Athletics Vice President and presidential aspirant Adille Sumariwalla has placed his extensive experience in athletics administration, corporate management and international sport at the centre of his campaign to become president of the global governing body. With the World Athletics presidential election gathering momentum, Sumariwalla said his candidacy is built on decades of experience spanning grassroots, provincial, national and international athletics administration. He made this known in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG’s Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, stressing that his academic and professional background had also prepared him for the complexities of leading a global sporting organisation. “I have the experience. “I have worked in sports, from the lowest l...

Mikel Arteta was left with no excuses after Arsenal’s impressive start to their Premier League title defence was emphatically dismantled by Brighton & Hove Albion in a miserable 3-0 defeat on Saturday. Arsenal arrived at the Amex Stadium with four consecutive league victories and just one goal conceded, but produced a performance that fell dramatically below the standards expected of a side chasing the Premier League title. Arteta’s team struggled to impose themselves, were second best in the physical battle and failed to respond as Brighton repeatedly exposed their weaknesses. The Gunners looked short of their usual intensity and attacking sharpness throughout the contest, while Brighton played with greater aggression, energy and purpose. Arsenal were unable to find a way back into the game once their hosts gained control, leaving Arteta to watch his side suffer a damaging and thoroughly deserved defeat. The loss brings Arsenal’s perfect league record to an abrupt end ...

  By Maxwell Kumoye    Senior Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Chief Tonobok Okowa, has congratulated Athletics Kenya on the award of the hosting rights for the 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi, describing the decision as a landmark moment for Kenya and a major victory for African athletics. AFN President and Senior Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Chief Tonobok Okowa, expressed delight over Nairobi’s successful bid, saying the hosting rights represent a “win-win” outcome for the continent. “Congratulations, Athletics Kenya. This is a great moment for Kenya and, indeed, for the whole of Africa,” Okowa said. “Bringing the World Athletics Championships to Nairobi in 2029 is not just about Kenya hosting a global competition. It is a victory for African athletics and an opportunity to showcase the enormous talent, passion and organisational capac...

By Maxwell Kumoye        Ghana continued its impressive campaign at the 2026 CAVB Men’s African Nations Volleyball Championship in Tunis, Tunisia, cruising past Chad 3-0 to book a place in the quarter-finals. The Ghanaian side produced a dominant performance in the Round of 16, winning 25-19, 25-13, 25-15 to complete a straight-sets victory in Match 18 on Day 6 of the championship. Ghana established control early in the opening set and never allowed Chad to settle, taking the first set 25-19 before stepping up its intensity in the second to race to a 25-13 victory. The West African heavyweight maintained their dominance in the third set, closing it out 25-15 to seal their place in the last eight. Ghana's Amanor Richard, who has been among the team's key players, said the celebrations following their victory provide an important source of motivation for the team. “It looks really good. It is the kind of celebration that motivates us whenever we achieve eve...

By FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG   D’Tigress star Victoria Macaulay, representing Nigeria was never just about basketball. It was also a journey her father, Lanre Macaulay, followed with pride and unwavering affection. That bond has come into focus following the death of Mr. Macaulay in the United States after an illness, with FIBA Africa Zone 3 President and Executive Committee Member, Colonel Sam Ahmedu (Rtd), joining the basketball family in mourning the loss. In a message to Victoria and the Macaulay family, Ahmedu described the late Lanre as a devoted father whose passion for Nigeria extended to following his daughter’s exploits whenever she wore the national colours. Ahmedu recalled how Mr. Macaulay would travel to watch Victoria represent Nigeria, turning her international career into a shared family experience. “He was very passionate about Nigeria and loved to travel and watch you represent this country across the globe,” Ahmedu said, while urging Victoria to hold ...

  By Maxwell Kumoye    Team Nigeria recorded mixed results on Day 3 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with the men securing a narrow victory over Saudi Arabia while the women were held to a 2-2 draw by Mozambique. The Nigerian men bounced back from their second-round defeat to claim a 2½-1½ victory over Saudi Arabia, with Odey Goodness Ekunke providing the decisive result on Board 4. Ekunke, rated 2280, defeated Saudi Arabia’s Emad Khayat, rated 1939, to give Nigeria the overall victory after the first three boards ended in draws. Bomo Lovet Kigigha (2287) drew with Ahmed Abdullah Alrehaili (2106), while Abdulraheem Abdulrahman Akintoye (2316) also shared the point with Mohammed Dhaidan Alotaibi (1868). Odion Aikhoje (2246) completed Nigeria’s three draws on the top boards after holding Yazeed Alshnaiber (1866). The 2½-1½ victory gives the Nigerian men another important result after they opened their campaign with a win before suffering...

France head coach Zinedine Zidane has unveiled his first squad since taking charge of Les Bleus, making five changes to the group ahead of the upcoming Nations League fixtures. Liverpool centre-back Jérémy Jacquet is among the most notable new faces after impressing during his debut season at Anfield. Goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, Inter Milan defender Andy Diouf, Como midfielder Lucas Da Cunha and Rennes forward Estéban Lepaul have also received their first senior call-ups. Zidane has retained several of France's established stars, with captain Kylian Mbappé leading an attack that also includes Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise. AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, along with defenders Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé and Dayot Upamecano, are also part of the 23-man squad. In midfield, Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga returns alongside Manchester City's Rayan Cherki, Roma's Manu Koné, AC Milan's Adrien Rabiot and Paris Saint-Germain...

Roberto Mancini has begun his second spell as Italy head coach with a major overhaul of the national team, naming an expanded 34-man squad ahead of the upcoming Nations League fixtures. Mancini has returned to the Italy bench following a turbulent period for the Italian Football Federation, succeeding Gennaro Gattuso after the former midfielder's departure. The federation's subsequent attempt to appoint Andrea Pirlo also collapsed after facing significant backlash over Pirlo's commercial links to a Russian betting company. The new-look squad features nine players receiving their first senior call-ups, highlighting Mancini's determination to inject fresh talent into the Azzurri following their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among the newcomers are Brentford full-back Michael Kayode, Monza defender Eddie Kwaidoo, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Samuele Inacio and winger Mohamed Ali Zoma, who currently plays for second-tier Bundesliga club 1. FC N...

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has unveiled his first squad since guiding La Roja to World Cup glory in July, retaining the core of his championship-winning team while making four changes for the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign. Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martínez and Espanyol forward Roberto Fernández have received their first senior call-ups, while Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen and Barcelona midfielder Fermín López return to the squad after missing the World Cup. Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García is absent through injury, while Gavi has also been left out. Marcos Llorente is unavailable after announcing his retirement from international football, while Borja Iglesias is another omission from the World Cup-winning group. De la Fuente has otherwise kept faith with the players who delivered Spain's second World Cup title. Goalkeepers Unai Simón and David Raya are joined by Martínez, while the defence includes Pedro Porro, Marc Pubill, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí...