Sports Groove

By Maxwell Kumoye    Nigeria’s D’Tigers will face a stern test as the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers enter the second round, with five tickets to the global showpiece in Qatar up for grabs. The second round brings together 12 of Africa’s leading basketball nations, divided into Group E and Group F, with the fourth qualifying window scheduled for August 24 to September 1, 2026. Nigeria has been drawn in Group E alongside Cameroon, South Sudan, Guinea, Tunisia and Cape Verde, with the group’s games taking place in Radès, Tunisia. D’Tigers will begin their campaign against Cameroon on August 27 before facing South Sudan the following day. Their final game of the window will be against Cape Verde on August 30. Other fixtures in the group will see Guinea face South Sudan and Tunisia take on Cabo Verde on August 27. On August 28, Cameroon will battle Tunisia, while Cabo Verde will meet Guinea. The final day of action on August 30 features Guinea agains...

The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has renewed its criticism of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), expressing concern over the body’s decision to sign a joint letter with UEFA and CONCACAF that questioned FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s leadership without consulting its member associations. The controversy centres on a letter signed by the three confederations that criticised Infantino’s handling of a failed proposal to introduce private investment into the FIFA World Cup. The move triggered an open dispute within football’s governing circles, with the FIFA president — who is expected to seek re-election next year — facing growing opposition over his leadership style. QFA President Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, a long-time supporter of Infantino, said the AFC’s response to Qatar’s initial complaint had failed to address key concerns and instead “raised considerably more questions than it answers.” Qatar was among six AFC members that publicly backed Infantino during ...

Lionel Messi marked his return to the scoresheet with an emotional goal as Inter Miami battled to a 2-2 draw against Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night, his first strike since the passing of his father earlier this month. The Argentine superstar delivered a moment of brilliance in the 26th minute at Subaru Park, escaping his marker before calmly firing a left-footed effort into the net to put Miami ahead 2-1 before the break. Messi was immediately surrounded by his teammates in a touching celebration after the goal. The 39-year-old forward had already made his influence felt earlier in the contest, providing the assist for Miami’s opening goal on a challenging night marked by intense heat and humidity in Pennsylvania. The goal carried special significance for Messi, who paid a heartfelt tribute to his late father last week, admitting the loss had left him struggling to imagine life without him. The result brought an end to Inter Miami’s three-match losing streak as the r...

World number one Aryna Sabalenka’s preparations for her U.S. Open title defence suffered a major blow after she was stunned by Czech teenager Sara Bejlek at the Cincinnati Open, while American Tommy Paul produced a remarkable comeback to eliminate third seed Alexander Zverev. Bejlek, ranked outside the top 100, delivered the biggest victory of her career with a 7-6(7), 6-4 triumph over the reigning world number one in the round of 16. The 20-year-old showed remarkable composure after falling behind in both sets, fighting back from 5-1 down in the opening-set tiebreak and recovering from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to complete one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. Bejlek sealed the victory in just over two hours to record her first career win against a top-10 opponent and book a quarter-final meeting with fellow Grand Slam champion Madison Keys. The defeat also opened the door for Elena Rybakina to reclaim the world number one ranking. The Kazakh player will move to th...

Paris Saint-Germain are poised to extend their remarkable reign over French football, with the reigning champions overwhelming favourites to secure a record-equalling sixth consecutive Ligue 1 title despite growing ambitions among their domestic rivals to end their dominance. The Paris giants, who have also lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy in each of the last two seasons, have strengthened their squad once again with a series of high-profile additions as they target a 15th French league crown. Among their latest recruits is Spain international Ferran Torres, who scored the decisive goal in last month’s World Cup final. PSG have also secured the services of France internationals Maghnes Akliouche and Lucas Digne, while Belgian forward Mika Godts joined the club this week from Ajax Amsterdam. Backed by significant Qatari investment, PSG continue to possess the financial power and global appeal needed to attract elite talent, allowing them to maintain their position as ...

Atletico Madrid will hope for a swift resolution to the future of wantaway forward Julian Alvarez following their limp attacking display despite a 2-0 home win over promoted Malaga in their opening LaLiga fixture on Wednesday. Midfielder ‌Lee Kang-in scored 13 minutes after coming off the bench for his debut as he cut inside from the right wing and curled his shot into the top corner of the net, before Alex Baena’s wonderful free kick ended the contest. The goals were two moments of supreme quality in an otherwise limp attacking display that will be of concern for coach Diego Simeone amid what appears an impasse with Alvarez. The Argentine forward has made no secret of his desire to leave the club for Barcelona, saying during the recent World Cup it would "fulfil my dream". With Antoine Griezmann having left for Major League Soccer and ⁠Alexander Sorloth sidelined by a muscle injury, Atletico lacked a sharp edge up front, with Ademola Lookman, usually a winger, pl...

...Heads to court to stop September polls in Lafia  By Maxwell Kumoye    Former Green Eagles captain and Nigerian football icon Segun Odegbami has described the current state of Nigerian football as the worst period in the country’s history, as he prepares to approach the court in a bid to stop the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) from conducting its scheduled September 27 election. Odegbami, a Member of the Order of Niger and multiple award-winning sports ambassador, is leading calls for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s football architecture, insisting that the country must address the structural and administrative problems confronting the sport before proceeding with another election. The former international strongly believes conducting the election without first addressing the fundamental issues within the football administration could produce the same results that, in his view, have contributed to the decline of Nigerian football. “My involvement da...

  By Maxwell Kumoye   Former Green Eagles defender and 1980 Africa Cup of Nations gold medallist Kadiri Ikhana has called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to establish a welfare scheme for elderly former Nigerian internationals. Ikhana wants the government to introduce a monthly allowance for ex-internationals aged 70 and above to cushion the effects of the country’s economic hardship and provide them with greater financial security in their later years. Speaking to Sports Unlimited, the former CAF Coach of the Year said many retired players were struggling financially, not necessarily because they had been abandoned, but because of the rising cost of living. “Look at me, like so many of our colleagues, we served the country and won laurels. I’m not saying we didn’t get our due benefits, but at our old age, we should depend on a system that depended on us in our youth,” Ikhana said. He appealed to NSC Chairman Shehu Dikk...

  By Maxwell Kumoye      No fewer than 700 athletes from Kwara State’s 16 Local Government Areas are expected to compete in 31 sporting events at the 8th edition of the Kwara State Sports Festival. The festival, scheduled for August 21 to 29, 2026, will take place at the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin, with the Kwara State Sports Commission unveiling the official logo and mascot for the event on Tuesday. Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission and Chairman of the Main Organising Committee, Mallam Bola Mogaji, commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for creating opportunities for young athletes to develop their talents through sports. Mogaji also appreciated the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the chairmen of the 16 Local Government Areas for their support towards youth and sports development. He recalled the history of the National Sports Festival and Kwara’...

Former France midfielder Patrick Vieira has been appointed head coach of Senegal, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said on Tuesday. Vieira, who was born in Senegal's capital ‌Dakar, succeeds Pape Thiaw, whose tenure ended after Senegal's elimination from this year's World Cup in the round of 32. The 50-year-old takes charge of a national team for the first time after coaching stints at clubs in England, France and Italy. Vieira managed Crystal Palace in the Premier League and French sides Nice and Strasbourg, while also spending a brief ‌spell ⁠in charge of Serie A club Genoa. One of France's most decorated midfielders, Vieira was part of the team that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, earning more than 100 caps for ⁠the national side. At club level, he is best known for his spell with Arsenal, where he made more than 400 appearances and won ⁠three Premier League titles.

Juventus have signed goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan, the ‌Serie A club and their Premier League counterparts said on Tuesday. The deal includes an option for Juve to make the move permanent ⁠at the end of the season, Tottenham said. Vicario, 29, joined Spurs from Empoli in 2023 and made 117 appearances for the north London club, keeping 29 clean sheets. He was part of the side ‌that ⁠won the Europa League in 2025, ending the club's 17-year wait for a major trophy. The Italy international began his ⁠career at Udinese and had spells with Venezia, Perugia, Cagliari and Empoli before ⁠moving to England. Vicario received his first senior Italy call-up in March ⁠2024 and has five caps for his country.

Barcelona have signed midfielder Rodri from Manchester City on a deal until June 2030, the LaLiga champions announced on Tuesday, ending the Spaniard's glittering, trophy-laden spell with the Premier League club ‌in a major coup for the Catalan side. The 30-year-old joins Hansi Flick's side for a reported fee of 65.4 million pounds ($88.56 million), with Barca beating arch-rivals Real Madrid to the Spain international's signature. Rodri's contract with City had been due to expire in June 2027. Rodri leaves City after winning four Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups since joining the English club from Atletico Madrid in 2019. He made 298 appearances, scoring 28 goals and helping City secure 14 major trophies.

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye       FIBA Africa Zone 3 President, Col. Sam Ahmedu (Rtd), has applauded Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire for securing places at the 2027 FIBA U19 World Cups, following their impressive campaigns at the African U18 championships in Abidjan. The two countries emerged as the Zone 3 representatives to the global youth championships after the continental finals concluded at the Palais des Sports, Treichville, on August 16. Côte d’Ivoire claimed the men’s crown, edging Senegal in the final, while Nigeria’s women battled their way to the championship match before Mali ended their title hopes. Despite Nigeria’s defeat in the final, Ahmedu praised the performance of both teams, describing the qualification as a major boost for basketball development in the zone. He noted that the success of the two countries underlines the importance of investing in young players and called on other basketball administrators within Zone 3 to intensify the...

  By Maxwell Kumoye      The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sacked Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu and ordered the immediate dissolution of his entire technical crew following the team’s disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The decision was announced on Monday through the federation’s verified X handle, with the NFF Executive Committee directing the coaching staff to step aside with immediate effect. The move came after Nigeria failed to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, despite being handed another opportunity to book a place at the global tournament. The Super Falcons missed out on automatic qualification at the WAFCON before entering the qualification playoffs, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Africa to effectively end their World Cup hopes. The failure has triggered widespread criticism, with football stakeholders and Nigerians questioning not only the coa...

Ipswich Town have signed Paraguay midfielder Julio Enciso from French side Strasbourg on a five-year contract, the newly promoted Premier ‌League club said on Monday. Ipswich did not disclose financial details of the deal, but British media reported that the fee for the 22-year-old was around €30 million ($34.8 million). Enciso returns to ⁠Portman Road on a permanent basis after spending the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion. Enciso, who helped Paraguay reach the round of 16 at this year's ⁠World Cup, contributed 12 goals and nine assists in 42 appearances for Strasbourg last season.

Santos captain Neymar became the first player in Brazil's Serie A to be forced off the field for a minute ‌under a new rule aimed at curbing time-wasting by goalkeepers that is being tested in the league. Under the trial, which will also be implemented in other competitions including the Premier League, if ⁠play is stopped due to a goalkeeper requiring medical treatment, the coach must immediately nominate an outfield player to leave the pitch for a minute after play resumes. If the coach fails to nominate a player within 10 seconds, the captain of the team must be the one to leave ‌the ⁠field. When Santos beat Vasco 3-0 on Sunday, the rule was invoked for the first time in the Brazilian top flight when keeper Gabriel Brazao requested medical ⁠attention. The referee told captain Neymar to leave the field as the Santos coach did not nominate another player within ⁠10 seconds.

Coventry City announced the signing of Taiwo Awoniyi from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest on Monday, as ‌media reports said the Nigeria striker joined for a fee of around nine million pounds ($12 million). Awoniyi, 29, spent his six years as a Liverpool player on various ⁠loan spells and had a stint at Union Berlin before joining Forest in 2022. He made 90 Premier League appearances for Forest and scored 21 goals. An injury from a collision with the post forced Awoniyi to undergo abdominal surgery in May 2025, during which he ‌was ⁠placed in an artificially induced coma. He returned in July, but suffered a knee injury in November that kept him out for another month last season.

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye     Caligeo Suites Ibadan has fulfilled its promise to reward Team Nigeria athletes who won medals at the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in a renewed demonstration of private-sector support for Nigerian sports. The Ibadan-based hospitality firm, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Gbolahan Fatuga, had before the Games unveiled a special incentive scheme designed to reward Nigerian athletes who mounted the podium in Glasgow. Under the initiative, gold medalists were promised 30 nights’ accommodation, silver medalists 20 nights, while bronze medalists were entitled to 15 nights in the hotel’s standard suites. Team Nigeria’s athletes duly delivered, with the country winning three gold, three silver and four bronze medals in athletics at the Glasgow Games. With the promise now being honoured, the Caligeo initiative provides the medalists with an additional reward for their efforts and further highlights the impor...

Cristiano Ronaldo has fuelled speculation about his retirement plans after saying the upcoming year will probably be the last of his playing career. "This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy," Ronaldo told lifestyle magazine Vogue in an interview published on Sunday. The forward has scored 976 goals for club and country during ‌a ⁠career spanning more than two decades. "I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your ⁠time in various ways, not just one," he said. "And also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and ⁠continue to enjoy what I’ve earned—what we’ve earned. Because after all it’s been 25 years with a lot of sacrifice." Ronaldo will ⁠continue playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr this season as he closes in on the milestone of 1,000 career goals.

Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield on Sunday, giving Mikel Arteta an early-season triumph while condemning new City boss Enzo Maresca to defeat in his first game in charge in the traditional ‌curtain-raiser to the campaign. With their fourth victory over City in the fixture, Arsenal maintained their 100% win record over their opponents with an emphatic performance at the Principality Stadium where Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard found the net. Having failed to convince in pre-season performances that raised a ⁠few eyebrows, Arsenal exploded into action with devastating effect right from kickoff, needing just 23 seconds to silence any lingering doubts about their readiness. Myles Lewis-Skelly was deployed in midfield and he threaded an excellent pass to set up left back Calafiori, who calmly finished past Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Arsenal the perfect start against the FA Cup champions. The early strike -- the first goal scored in ...

By Maxwell Kumoye        The Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) has intensified its build-up to the 2026 World Wrestling Championships with the establishment of a special training camp at Iowa State University in the United States. The initiative, approved by NWF President Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, is designed to give Nigerian wrestlers access to quality facilities, stronger opposition and a more competitive environment ahead of the championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1. Rather than relying solely on preparations at home, the federation is bringing together Nigerian wrestlers scattered across the United States, alongside selected athletes from Nigeria who have valid U.S. visas. The camp will also serve as a potential talent pathway, with Nigerian-born wrestlers living in the United States who are eligible to compete for the country invited to train with the group. For the NWF, the arrangement offers more than just a trainin...