Sports Groove

By FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG        The football community has been thrown into mourning following the tragic death of Nigerian winger Victor Udoh at the age of 21, with former clubs Southampton FC and Royal Antwerp paying emotional tributes to the promising youngster. Udoh, who was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s emerging football talents, spent six months with Southampton’s academy after joining the club in February 2025.  During his short spell on England’s south coast, the talented left winger featured in eight matches for the Saints’ Under-21 side in the Premier League 2. Before his move to England, Udoh had developed through the ranks at Royal Antwerp, where he impressed for the club’s “Young Reds” team.  The Nigerian forward scored 12 goals in 27 appearances for the youth side and earned promotion to the first team, making 28 senior appearances for the Belgian outfit. Following his departure from Southampton in September, Udoh continue...

...The projects, major milestone in the country’s quest to restore its sporting glory – Shehu Dikko  ...The projects represent more than just infrastructure renewal – Bukola Olopade  By Maxwell Kumoye        The Federal Government has approved a sweeping upgrade of sports infrastructure across Nigeria, with the rehabilitation of the iconic Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja, taking centre stage in a renewed drive to reposition the country’s sporting facilities to international standards. The approvals were ratified at the National Sports Commission (NSC) Tenders Board Meeting, where a series of major projects aimed at revamping key facilities and boosting athlete development received the green light. At the heart of the initiative is the complete reconstruction of the Abuja stadium pitch, which has come under criticism in recent years due to its poor condition and limited usability for Nigeria’s national teams. The tartan tracks will also be ...

By Maxwell Kumoye        Following the death of longtime sports administrator Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, the Cameroon National Olympic and Sports Committee has appointed Grégoire Owona as its interim president. Owona’s appointment was confirmed on Monday, May 25, during an extraordinary session convened to reorganize the leadership structure of the Cameroon National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSC) following the death of Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum on May 13 after a brief illness. The newly-appointed interim president is expected to steer the affairs of the Olympic body until the next elective General Assembly, where a substantive leadership is expected to emerge. As part of the restructuring, the CNOSC also announced a reshuffled executive committee.  Ntsama Assembe was named first vice-president, while Talba Malla Ibrahim takes over as second vice-president.  The position of the third vice-president, however, remains vacant. The committee fu...

By Maxwell Kumoye    World Athletics has officially unveiled the qualification standards for the 2027 World Athletics Championships scheduled to take place in Beijing, setting the benchmark athletes across the globe must meet to secure automatic qualification for the prestigious event. The qualification marks, released ahead of the global championship, underline the increasing competitiveness expected at Beijing 2027, with elite performances required across track, field and road events. In the sprint events, male athletes will need to clock 9.95 seconds in the 100 metres and 20.07 seconds in the 200 metres, while the women’s qualifying standards stand at 10.96 seconds and 22.45 seconds respectively. For the one-lap event, the men’s 400m standard is pegged at 44.45 seconds, with women expected to run 50.00 seconds to gain automatic entry. Middle and long-distance events also feature demanding marks. Athletes targeting the men’s 1500m must run 3:30.00, while the wome...

...Hails Soludo’s sports reforms   By Maxwell Kumoye   The Executive Board of the Anambra State Football Association (ANSFA), has announced June 30, 2026, as the date for its general election following a virtual meeting held on Tuesday, May 26. In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the board said the decision became necessary as the tenure of the current administration will officially end on July 27, 2026. The board also directed the ANSFA Electoral Committee to immediately begin all necessary preparations to ensure a credible, transparent, peaceful, and hitch-free election in line with existing statutes and regulations. During the meeting, the Association commended His Excellency governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo for what it described as visionary leadership and renewed commitment to sports development in the state. The board specifically praised the governor for re-establishing the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, noting that the move would si...

By Maxwell Kumoye   The quiet hills of Okpekpe in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State are once again preparing for a moment on the global sporting stage as the 11th edition of the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race takes place on Saturday, May 30. With the race officially listed by World Athletics as the next major global road race event, attention has shifted to Nigeria for what promises to be one of the most significant athletics competitions on the international calendar this weekend. Organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing, the Okpekpe race stands out as the only World Athletics Gold Label road race scheduled anywhere in the world on May 30, underlining its growing prestige within global athletics. The race is one of just 41 Gold Label road races approved worldwide for 2026 and remains the first road race in West Africa to earn label recognition from World Athletics, a milestone first achieved in 2015. Race Director Zak Amodu said organisers have complete...

...Appreciates National Sports Commission       President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Chief Tonobok Okowa, has extended warm greetings to the Muslim Ummah across Nigeria on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha (Eid-el-Kabir) celebration. In his goodwill message, Chief Okowa noted that the festival symbolizes the spirit of sacrifice, faith, obedience and devotion, virtues that are essential not only in religion but also in nation-building and sports development. The AFN President urged Muslim faithful to continue to pray for peace, unity and progress in Nigeria, especially as the nation continues to strive for greater achievements in different sectors, including sports. He also encouraged Nigerian athletes to remain disciplined, focused and committed to excellence, stressing that dedication, sacrifice and resilience are key ingredients for success on the global stage. Chief Okowa appreciated the unwavering support of the National Sports Commission (NSC),...

By Maxwell Kumoye      New United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino has placed his faith in experience and emerging talent after unveiling a 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup on home soil, with Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie leading the charge. The Americans, who are co-hosting the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, are hoping to make a significant impact in front of home fans after reaching the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Pochettino’s squad reflects a balance between youth and experience, with 13 World Cup debutants joining 13 players who featured in Qatar. Included among the returning core are the United States’ scorers from the last tournament, Pulisic, Tim Weah and Haji Wright. “We are confident this is the best group of 26 players to help us achieve success at the World Cup,” Pochettino said after naming his squad. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain manager acknowledged the difficulty of the...

...Name Aguerd in, En-Nesyri drop  ...Hakimi, Amrabat lead charge for glory   By Maxwell Kumoye       New Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi has unveiled a bold 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, retaining experienced stars like Achraf Hakimi and Sofyan Amrabat while making several surprise decisions ahead of the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Ouahbi, who succeeded Walid Regragui in March after previously handling Morocco’s U-20 side, included defender Nayef Aguerd despite the Marseille centre-back not playing since early March due to injury. Aguerd, a key member of Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is yet to fully recover but has been handed the opportunity to prove his fitness before the tournament begins. One of the biggest talking points from the squad announcement was the omission of experienced striker Youssef En-Nesyri, who played a pivotal role in Morocco’s unforgettable World Cup ...