NIGERIAN FOOTBALL

Former Nigerian international Tijani Babangida has spoken openly about suffering racial abuse during his playing days, saying the incident occurred at Benfica’s famous stadium, Estádio da Luz. Babangida said the incident occurred during the 1994/1995 season when he was playing for Roda JC in a European Cup match. According to the 52-year-old, fans racially attacked him even though the Portuguese …

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has addressed ongoing discussions regarding his contract negotiations with the NFF and reported tensions. Speaking on PodcastHDF, Chelle explained how discussions began shortly after Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign. “At the end of the match against Egypt, before an interview with Canal+, I went for an interview, and then there were the Minister of Sports …

In a surprising turn of events, it appears that Nigerian footballer Emmanuel Dennis may not be joining Saudi Arabia Pro League side Al-Tai. Despite advanced discussions with English Premier League club Nottingham Forest, Al-Tai could miss out on the forward as latest reports claims Turkish Champions Trabzonspor is closed to signing the Nigerian. Al-Tai are believed to be the frontrunner …

Ademola Lookman will miss Nigeria’s crucial final 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash against Benin Republic after picking up a yellow card in the 2-1 win against Lesotho. It was Lookman’s second booking in the qualifiers and, under FIFA rules, he will now serve a one-match suspension. While his absence will surely be felt, it could also serve as a …

Following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Lesotho, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong revealed that the players were frustrated with the match, but also expressed relief that Nigeria is still in contention for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Speaking in the post-game Troost-Ekong recognized Lesotho’s performance and reinforced the team’s determination: “Lesotho played a great game. It wasn’t …

Striker Akor Adams made his long-awaited debut for the Super Eagles in a 2-1 win over Lesotho in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. The striker’s 80th-minute goal sealed three precious points for Nigeria as the team continues its quest for a place in the expanded 48-team tournament in North America. The 25-year-old, whose …

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Idah Peterside has expressed concerns ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho on Friday. Peterside expressed doubts over the team’s current ability to score goals and deliver consistent performances. “The game against Lesotho is the real problem because we didn’t score goals, we didn’t play and winning games has become a challenge,” …

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has rallied his players to stay focused and secure a vital victory against Lesotho in their penultimate 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. Before the clash, Chelle highlighted the unpredictability of football and the importance of approaching the game with intensity and determination. “Anyone can go to the World Cup. This is football. Anything …

The chief coach of South Africa, Hugo Broos, has expressed his confidence that his team remains in a stronger position to qualify for the FIFA 2026 World Cup ahead of Nigeria and Benin Republic. Bafana Bafana aims to finish its absence of 16 years of the biggest football stage. Talking before his game against Zimbabwe on Friday, Broos emphasized the …

Kelechi Iheanacho was on the score sheet when Celtic secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Motherwell in an exciting encounter of the Premier League Scottish. Iheanacho opened the scoring in the 28th minute from the place, but Motherwell responded through Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, which he matched in the 41st minute. Kelechi Iheanacho scores from the penalty point. (Photo | Getty Images) …