Sports
NPFL Approves Spain Training Tour For All Stars
The best 11 players and coach selected by the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) All Stars Committee will, at the end of the coming season, embark on a training tour of Spain to play friendly games against some La Liga teams, NPFL Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has said.
The team would also get opportunity to be trained by some of Spain’s coaches during the tour.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Team of the Month Selection Committee, headed by ex-international, Daniel Amokachi, Elegbeleye said, “the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) board has an agreement with a La Liga club, who said they would be ready to host the best of the country’s league to a playing tour of Spain.
“They will arrange friendly matches for the team, which will be trained by some of Spain’s best coaches.”
He said that his board would soon
provide policy guidelines and schemes aimed at making the league attractive to corporate sponsors, stakeholders, players and fans.
Elegbeleye said: “The idea of a technical committee for Team of the Month Selection may not be entirely new, but we are including the added flavour and benefits of going to have an end of season team, an All-Star squad that will spend two weeks in Spain playing friendly games with top LaLiga sides.
“This is an agreement we have secured with a top LaLiga club to host our NPFL select and arrange for them to play against some other top teams in Spain. This, no doubt, will be an enriching experience for the players, as they will have the opportunity to train and play against some of the very best. It has the added edge of going to form the nucleus of a future CHAN Eagles team.”
Journalists, Mitchel Obi, Segun Agbede and Deji Omotoyinbo.
Also in the committee are Coach Manu Garba, Coach Godwin Uwauh and Davidson Adejuwon, a former Director of defunct NPFL side, MFN.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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