Sports
Beach Soccer Tourney: Nigeria Draws Brazil, Japan, Switzerland
Nigeria has been drawn alongside Brazil, Japan and
Switzerland in Group B of the 2nd Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup,
scheduled for Dubai in October, an official said yesterday in Abuja.
The General Secretary, Nigeria Football Association (NFA),
Musa Amadu, told newsmen that the competition’s official draw was held on
Tuesday at Dubai’s Festival City Mall.
“The eight teams were split into two groups of four each,
with hosts UAE in Group A, alongside world champions Russia, Oceania Kings,
Tahiti, and the CONCACAF representatives, the US.
“Group B which has Nigeria, also has CONMEBOL champions
Brazil, Euro Beach Soccer League champions Switzerland, and Asian crown-holders
Japan,” he said.
The NFA general secretary said Nigeria’s beach soccer team,
the SuperSand Eagles, were already being prepared to perform creditably at the
competition.
“We have already started preparing our team for the event by
camping the players and officials in Badagry.
“Our aim is for the team to qualify for the semi-finals and
then the final, because we know they can do it and it will also help them
prepare for the Copa Lagos tournament, scheduled for December,” he said.
The Dubai competition will hold from October 30 to November
3, with eight teams participating, with the first round in a round-robin
format.
The best two teams in each group will then proceed to the
semi-finals.
The draw ceremony was conducted by General Secretary of the
Dubai Sports Council, Dr Ahmed Al Sharif.
It also had in attendance Joan Cuscó, Vice-President of
Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) and Michel Salgado, FIFA Futsal and Beach Soccer
Committee member and a former Real Madrid defender.
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CAFCL : Rivers United Arrives DR Congo
Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt contingent, comprising players, technical crew, backroom staff, and officials, depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State on Wednesday, bound for Kinshasa, DR Congo.
The team is set to face FC Les Aigles du Congo in the first-round first-leg match of the CAF Champions League.
This was contained in a press release signed by the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku and made available to Tidesports on Wednesday.
He said that the highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at the 80,000-capacity Kinshasa-Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs on morrow with kickoff slated for 3:30pm.
According to the statement the encounter marks the first-ever meeting between both sides in any competition, adding that an air of excitement and unpredictability to the fixture.
“As the Pride of Nigeria embarks on this crucial journey, the team is determined to return with a decent result that will set them up favorably for the second leg on Sunday, 28th September” the statement said.
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FIFA rankings: S’Eagles drop Position, remain sixth in Africa
The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.
Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.
Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.
Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.
The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.
Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.
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