Sports Groove

Nigeria's Super Falcons will round off their preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a high-profile international friendly against Ghana's Black Queens in Casablanca on Saturday. The encounter is part of the team's final build-up to the 14th edition of the continental championship, which kicks off in Morocco on Sunday.  The ten-time African champions opened their training camp in Casablanca on Monday as preparations gather momentum. By Tuesday afternoon, 10 players had arrived at the team's base at the Marriott Hotel, with midfielder Toni Payne expected to join the squad on Wednesday after completing her transfer from Everton Women to Inter Milan Women. Head coach Justine Madugu oversaw the team's first training session on Tuesday at Stade El Arbi Zaouli, the same venue that will host Saturday's clash. Kick-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. The early arrivals at the team’s Hotel Marriott in Casablanca are:   GOALKEEPERS ✓ Chiamaka Nna...

Senegal's women's national team wrapped up their two-match international friendly series against Egypt with a narrow 1-0 defeat on Saturday in Cairo, concluding their preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). The Lionesses had begun the series on a positive note, securing a 1-0 victory in the first meeting on Wednesday courtesy of a Ndeye Nguenar Ndiaye penalty.  The win marked a return to form after consecutive defeats to Nigeria in friendly matches last June. However, Mame Moussa Cissé's side could not replicate that performance in the second encounter, as Egypt edged the contest by a lone goal to level the two-match series. The friendlies provided the Senegalese coaching staff with a valuable opportunity to evaluate the squad and fine-tune tactics ahead of the continent's premier women's football tournament. The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Morocco from July 25 to August 16, following the postponement of th...

...As Black Maidens of Ghana earn late draw in Dakar  ...Kenya shock South Africa, Zambia beat Ethiopia  By Maxwell Kumoye   Nigeria's Flamingos produced a spirited display to defeat neighbours Benin Republic 3-2 in a pulsating first-leg encounter of the third round of the CAF qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, while Ghana's Black Maidens rescued a dramatic late 1-1 draw away to Senegal. The Nigerian girls overcame an early setback to secure a crucial first-leg advantage ahead of the return fixture, with Kindness Ifeanyi emerging the hero after heading home the decisive goal. Benin stunned the hosts in the 14th minute when Romaine Gandonou fired the visitors into the lead.  However, the Flamingos responded positively, with Queen Joseph restoring parity in the 25th minute to ensure both teams went into the break level. Nigeria returned for the second half with renewed purpose and took the lead through Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, whose strike in the 62nd minu...

North Korea, fresh from their win in the U17 Women’s World Cup have drawn their neighbours South Korea, in the group stages of the 12-team AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup to be played in Thailand April 1-18, 2026. North Korea are both Asian and World U20 women’s champions. South Korea have twice won the women’s U20 title. Also drawn in group B are Uzbekistan and Jordan. Thailand, hosting the U20 finals for a second time, have been drawn in Group A alongside China, Vietnam and tournament debutants Bangladesh. In Group C, Japan, who have won the competition a record six times, will face Australia, Chinese Taipei and India. The top two teams from each group and two best second-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals. The top four finishers at the Finals will qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026. Draw Result Group A: Thailand, China PR, Vietnam, Bangladesh Group B: DPR Korea, Korea Republic, Uzbekistan, Jordan Group C: Japan, Australia, Chinese Taipei, Indi...

North Korea defended their U-17 Women’s World Cup title with a 3-0 victory against the Netherlands in the tournament’s final.  In the showpiece match in Rabat, Morocco, the Koreans outclassed the European champions with a stellar first-half performance as Kim Won-sim, Pak Rye-yong and Ri Ui-gyong all got on the scoresheet before the break. The North Koreans went undefeated, winning their seven matches. En route to the final, they defeated hosts Morocco, Japan and Brazil in the knockout stages. It was North Korea’s record fourth win at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, having won the tournament in in 2008, 2016 and 2024 when they defeated Spain following penalties in the final in the Dominican Republic. Last year, North Korea also won the U-20 Women’s World Cup for a third time. The winners also dominated the individual awards. Yu Jong-hyang won both the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player and the Golden Boot as the top scorer with eight goals. Kim Won-sim received the...

  Atlético Madrid’s men’s team usually takes the spotlight but with the women’s game taking an ever-increasing role worldwide, it comes as no surprise that major sponsors are lining up to take advantage of the increasing media visibility, with B&B HOTELS as the latest sponsor of its women’s program.   The two-season partnership stretches beyond the first team, embracing both reserve sides, and represents a major coup for the club at a time when whispers of a potential sale of Atlético continue to rumble in the background.  For B&B HOTELS, a chain with 80 properties across Spain and Portugal, David García Blancas, CEO of B&B HOTELS Iberia, said, “This agreement with Atlético de Madrid Femenino is not just sponsorship; it is an alliance between two organisations that share ambition, values, and a way of understanding the future. Both of us bet on talent, equal opportunities, and collective effort as engines of growth.”  Óscar Mayo, the club...

  The Afghanistan national women’s team of refugee players will partake in their first official matches at a four-team tournament in the United Arab Emirates in October, world governing body FIFA confirmed on Wednesday.   The Afghan team will play against United Arab Emirates, Chad and Libya in Dubai during the last week of October. FIFA supports the team that does not officially represent Afghanistan and was excluded from World Cup qualifying.   In a statement, Zurich-based FIFA called the women’s series “a historic four-team women’s football event” that “reinforces FIFA’s efforts to promote and protect the right of all women and girls to play the sport, pursue their footballing dreams and thrive through the game.”   The team has not featured in a competitive game since 2018 and under the Taliban regime, women’s sport in Afghanistan has been stopped. The Afghan Football Federation, however, has not been suspended by the world’s governing b...

The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has extended hearty congratulations to Sunshine Queens, Castmog Ladies, Ahudiyannem Queens, and Imo Striker Queens on their successful promotions to the NWFL Premiership at the conclusion of the 2025 Championship season, staged from September 11 to 21 in Umuahia and Abiriba, Abia State, South-East Nigeria. Sunshine Queens of Ondo State, a government-owned side with Premiership pedigree, return to the elite division. They are joined by three ambitious debutants, Castmog Ladies of Ogun State, Ahudiyannem Queens of Abia State, and Imo Striker Queens of Imo State, all privately owned and making history with their maiden ascent. In a statement on Monday, NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, commended the promoted clubs for their resilience and quality performances, while appreciating other participating clubs. “We warmly congratulate the four teams on their deserved qualification to the Premiership. Their success is a testament to ...

Nigeria’s female U20 national football team, the Falconets, have won the first leg of their 2026 FIFA Women's World Cup second round qualifier, pipping hosts Rwanda in Kigali, the Rwandan capital on Sunday.   There was no breakthrough for either side in the first 45 minutes of a hard-fought encounter at the Kigali-Pele Stadium, Nyamirambo district, Kigali, Rwanda. And it remained that way for much of the second half until Nigeria’s Alabs Olabiyi broke the deadlock. Alaba Olabiyi thumped the ball home following a goalmouth scramble off a corner kick in the 70th minute to give Nigeria victory, and put smiles on the face of Head Coach Moses Aduku in his first outing with the team. Both teams will clash in the return at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, South-West, Nigeria, on Saturday.   The Falconets’ delegation are expected in Nigeria on Monday morning.

  Nigeria’s U17 Women’s National Team, the Flamingos, stepped up preparations for the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco with two wins on Wednesday, 17th September at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja.   In the first game, the Flamingos edged Eagle’s Wing U13 Boys 1–0 thanks to an early strike from Fatimoh Shuaib, who calmly slotted home after a neat exchange with Tabitha Terlumu. Despite pressure from the opponents, goalkeeper Elizabeth Boniface and her defence held firm to secure the narrow win. Later in the day, the Flamingos returned to action against Harmony FA U13 Boys, sealing a comfortable 3–0 victory. Zainab Raji opened the scoring after pouncing on a defensive error, before Olamide Olanrewaju tapped in for the second.    Substitute Favour Etim made an instant impact, adding the third to complete a dominant performance, even as Terlumu saw her penalty kick saved.    With these results, the Flamingos have now shown both resilience and...

  The 2025 Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship took a decisive turn on Wednesday, with Castmog Ladies and Ahudiyannem Queens joining Sunshine Queens in sealing promotion to the Premiership. After three matchdays of drama and upsets across Umuahia and Abiriba, three of the four available tickets have now been claimed, leaving Group B2 as the final battleground. In Umuahia, Castmog Ladies confirmed their rise despite a narrow 1-0 defeat to Gallant Queens. A goalkeeping error led to Omotolani Oladunjoye’s own goal, but Castmog’s earlier wins ensured they topped Group A1 with six points. The goalless draw between First Mahi Babes and Royal Queens earlier in the day had already secured Castmog’s promotion with a game to spare. Over in Abiriba, the clash of the day saw Ahudiyannem Queens face Wazbak International in a tense Group B1 decider. Kenechukwu Eze struck in the 38th minute to give the hosts the lead, before Sofiat Hassan replied for Wazbak. The 1-1 draw...

  Women in Football, the professional network of more than 12,000 people that supports equality in the game, is partnering with British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) to run the BUCS & FA Women’s Leadership Programme for the next three years. Launched in 2019, the female leadership programme has had more than 750 women participate and has been instrumentalin supporting and empowering female students who aspire to careers in the football industry and sport. BUCS had invited bids from potential partners to lead the programme, with Women in Football emerging as thestrongest candidate. A motivating factor for the appointment is Women in Football’s expertise in professional development and its synergy with the programme’s aim to create a network of future leaders with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to thrive. Women are still under-represented in leadership roles in football and the joint aim is to help redress that balance. Dan Matthews, BUCS Senior Fo...

  Australia is on track to deliver the biggest AFC Women’s Asian Cup in history, with more than 110,000 tickets sold – even before single-match sales opened to the general public. The Matildas’ appeal is driving much of the demand. All three of their group-stage fixtures are reportedly close to selling out, while tickets for the knockouts are moving sharpish too, including those for the final at Stadium Australia in Sydney – the largest venue for the competition with a 79,500 capacity – on March 21. Tournament organisers have stressed that affordability is central to their ticketing strategy, having freed up seat availability to suit a ‘wide range’ of budgets. The 110,000 figure puts the competition on course to smash previous attendance benchmarks and underline how far women’s football has come in Asia under the AFC. For the hosts, the sales represent a continuation of the momentum built during the 2023 World Cup, when the Matildas reached a new level of national signi...

  The stage is set for the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26, as the official draw has mapped out an exciting path to glory for the tournament’s second iteration. Twelve of the continent’s top clubs are set to battle it out in the group stage, as the stage is set to make history in Asia’s premier women’s club competition. Group A will feature last season’s runners up Melbourne City FC, Vietnamese hosts Ho Chi Minh City WFC, Filipino outfit Stallion Laguna and Lion City Sailors from Singapore. Group B will see reigning champions Wuhan Jiangda WFC return to try to reclaim their crown, but first they will have to bypass India’s East Bengal FC, Iran’s Bam Khatoon and Uzbekistan’s PFC Nasaf. The final group is formed of South Korea’s Suwon FC, Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza (replacing Urawa Red Diamonds from last season), Myanmar’s Ispe WFC and North Korea’s Naegohyang WFC. The matches will take place between November 9 and 23, 2025, featuring three tightly-contested groups w...

  FIFA have announced the host cities and unveiled the official branding for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, starting the countdown to kick-off in 12 months’ time. The cities of Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Łódź and Sosnowiec were announced during a special ceremony in Chorzów on Saturday, at which the Official Brand was also revealed – said to celebrate the growth of women’s football and emergence of future stars of the female game. The event was attended by representatives from local authorities and FIFA, who reaffirmed their commitment to continue close liaison to ensure that the event meets the “highest standards of quality that the players and fans deserve”. Fans can also now register their interest in securing tickets on FIFA’s website, though they are currently not available to actually purchase. “Women’s football is on an extraordinary growth curve, and competitions like the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup are vital accelerators for our sport,” said FIFA’s chief f...

   Chelsea FC Women have announced a new partnership with female-owned period care brand Here We Flo as the club’s Official Back of Short partner. The deal will apply to the WSL holders’ domestic and European campaigns. Both brands have combined for a common goal: to destigmatise periods, normalise playing sports while women and girls are on their periods, and challenge how they are presented in the media. Aki Mandhar, CEO of Chelsea FC Women said: “At Chelsea we want to break down barriers and inspire change. We want to reset the narrative about periods, normalise them and in doing so empower and inspire the next generation of young girls, whether they play sport or not. Periods should be a source of strength and confidence for girls, not a hinderance. “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Here We Flo on this campaign. They are challenging the status quo when it comes to period products and together we can change perceptions for the better.” In research carri...

  Electronic Arts, producer of the hit FC football simulator game series, has extended its partnership with MLS Club New York City FC in a deal that will see the company’s EA Sports branch continue as an official club partner. Through this partnership, New York City FC and EA SPORTS FC have pledged to bring fans ‘closer than ever’ to their club through exclusive content, fan experiences, match day activations and content collaboration. The deal coincides with EA Sports’ marketing push ahead of the released of FC26 later this month, where excitement for the new game is at peak ripeness. Despite the club’s close relationship with EA Sports, neither of New York City FC’s home grounds (Yankee Stadium or Etihad Park) will be in FC26 – which is a bit awkward as Big Apple rivals NY Red Bulls’ Sports Illustrated Stadium will be playable. “EA SPORTS is more than a game — it’s a global football platform that’s deeply embedded in the culture of our sport,” said Brent Simmons, Head...

  The President of the West African Football Union (WAFU), B, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON), has congratulations to ASEC Mimosas for winning the WAFU B Championship title and securing the zones lone ticket to the 2025 CAF Women's Champions League.   Alhaji Gusau who also doubles as the President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), put up some kind words for the Regional Champions as they picked the Women's Champions League berth after an exhilarating 8-7 shootout win against Bayelsa Queens of Nigeria, in the final.   “On behalf of the Elective Council WAFU B, I warmly congratulate the club ASEC Mimosas for winning the championship title at the conclusion of the qualifying phase of the WAFU B Zone Women's Champions League.”   “Congratulations also to all the clubs from the zone who participated in the qualifying phase. Their dedication and perseverance have greatly contributed to the sporting success and the visibility of our regional competition.” ...

   WSL Football has entered into a new multi-year partnership with Nike, expanding its support for women’s football in England.  Through the agreement, Nike has become an official partner of the Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship, and the Subway Women’s League Cup.  A key element of the partnership will see Nike provide football boots and goalkeeper gloves to all players in the top two tiers who do not currently hold a personal endorsement deal.  The first-of-its-kind deal marks the next step of funding and sponsorship in English women’s football’s expansion roadmap, with over 250 players already opting in for new gear ahead of the 2025/26 season, which begins this weekend.  The collaboration will also see the launch of the first-ever league-branded lifestyle merchandise, which will be available online at Nike.com.  The line will include pre-match tops, t-shirts and hoodies featuring league branding. Nike have also...

   Chelsea have unveiled a six-piece jewellery collection in partnership with official jewellery partner D.LOUISE. Inspired by the Chelsea rose, the collection celebrates the club’s unrivalled success in the Women’s Super League and its ambition to ‘leave a lasting legacy in gold’.  Designed with the team’s achievements at the forefront, the collaboration brings a new way for fans to support their club, this time with a subtle and stylish alternative to the tried-and-tested matchday shirt.  Giulia Mazzia, Chelsea FC Women’s Commercial Director, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be the first Women’s Super League team to offer a bespoke jewellery line, that reflects the uniqueness of our players, our fans, and our values. The Chelsea Rose Collection has something for everyone. It is timeless, beautiful, and built to last. Just like our team, it’s strong, resilient, and ready for life on the move.”   Olivia Jenkins, Founder of D.LOUISE, added: “We’r...