Sport

Four bids are in contention to host the 2029 UEFA Women’s European Championship after Italy withdrew on Friday, UEFA confirmed. With Italy already set to co-host the men’s Euro 2032 alongside Turkey, the race is now between Germany, Poland, Portugal, and a joint Denmark-Sweden bid. UEFA will announce the winning host nation on December 3. The chosen host will face high expectations following the success of the 2025 tournament in

Lionel Messi returned from injury in spectacular fashion, scoring twice as Inter Miami came from behind to defeat Orlando City 3-1 and book their place in the Leagues Cup final on Wednesday night. The Argentine star, who had missed Miami’s last two games with a thigh problem, equalised from the penalty spot in the 77th minute before linking up with Jordi Alba to put Miami ahead with two minutes left

Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign has suffered a major setback after first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali picked up an injury while in action for his South African club, Chippa United. The 29-year-old was forced off on a stretcher during the first half of Tuesday’s league clash against Richards Bay, grimacing in pain after collapsing on the pitch. Chippa United’s medical team is still assessing the extent of the damage. His injury

Team Nigeria has landed in Ahmedabad, India, for the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship — a week-long contest that also doubles as a qualifier for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The squad consists of 12 athletes across various weight categories, blending first-time competitors with seasoned lifters eager to strengthen Nigeria’s reputation on the global stage. Among the notable names are Ruth Asuquo (48kg), who will be making her international

Victor Osimhen etched his name into Galatasaray’s history books on Sunday after scoring in a commanding 4-0 win over Kayserispor, a result that handed the Turkish giants their strongest league start since the 2007/08 campaign. Making his first start since his high-profile summer transfer, the Nigerian striker struck in the 86th minute to net his debut goal for the club, sealing an emphatic victory at the Kadir Has Stadium. The

Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has condemned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for allegedly neglecting the family of late legendary goalkeeper, Peter Rufai. Speaking emotionally at Rufai’s burial in a video shared by News Central on Friday, the ex-Inter Milan star lamented the continued abandonment of Nigeria’s football heroes after their deaths. “It’s heartbreaking. You have Lagos State, you have the NFF, yet everything

Former Super Eagles forward, Brown Ideye, has officially retired from professional football, closing the curtain on a career that spanned nearly 20 years. The 36-year-old, who was part of Nigeria’s victorious 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, made the announcement in an emotional message on his social media pages, describing the decision as one filled with mixed emotions. “After much thought and consideration, with a heart full of mixed

Veteran Italian football administrator Luciano Moggi has criticised Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman over his ongoing standoff with Atalanta, calling on Serie A authorities to enforce stricter penalties against players and coaches who fail to honour contractual agreements. Writing in his column for Libero, the former Juventus and Napoli director accused Lookman of disregarding the terms of his deal with Atalanta, describing him as a symbol of what he sees as

Nigeria’s Super Eagles B, popularly known as the CHAN Eagles, may be out of the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in East Africa, but head coach Eric Sekou Chelle insists his team will fight for pride when they face Congo today in their final Group B fixture. The Eagles have already been eliminated after back-to-back defeats — a 1-0 loss to Senegal and a heavy 4-0 defeat to Sudan —