Sports
NFF Election Process Suspended, Ikpeme Takes Over
The National Sports Commission, NSC, has endorsed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, erstwhile Deputy General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, as interim General Secretary of the federation following the resignation of President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the Executive Committee.
The development is part of sweeping interim measures announced by the NFF on Thursday as the Federal Government moves to overhaul the administration of Nigerian football.
In a statement published on its official website, the NFF said Ikpeme would oversee the federation’s secretariat in his new capacity.
“Following Thursday’s resignations of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau as President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi as General Secretary, and members of the Executive Committee, the National Sports Commission has endorsed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, until now Deputy General Secretary, to oversee the NFF Secretariat as interim General Secretary,” the federation said.
The NFF also appointed its Director of Media and Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire, as interim Deputy General Secretary.
The shake-up has effectively suspended the electoral process that was scheduled to produce a new leadership for the federation next month.
“All processes initiated in preparation for the NFF Elective Congress scheduled for 27 September have also been suspended,” the NFF said.
The latest development leaves the administration of Nigerian football under an interim structure pending further decisions by the relevant authorities.
One of Nigeria’s Basketball players, Agada in action.
Bayelsa holds National Intermediate Games Trials (4)
The Bayelsa State Athletics Association will hold trials today to select track and field athletes who will represent the state at the forthcoming maiden National Intermediate Games in Lagos.
The exercise is aimed at identifying talented young athletes across Bayelsa State who will compete in the national competition and showcase their abilities across various track and field events.
According to a statement signed by the Secretary of the Bayelsa State Athletics Association, Mr Tariye Jackson Bidei, interested athletes in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres and 1,500 metres have been invited to take part in the trials, alongside those competing in field events, including javelin, shot put, long jump and high jump.
The association said eligible participants must be below 19 years of age, with the statement clarifying that the Intermediate Games is specifically for athletes born between January 1, 2008, and September 30, 2011, making the age bracket an important requirement for selection.
The trials will take place at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Ovom, and will commence promptly at 8 a.m. today.
Games masters and sports coordinators in secondary schools across the state have been encouraged to bring their promising athletes to the venue.
The association urged eligible athletes and schools to take advantage of the opportunity, stressing that the trials would provide a platform for discovering young talents capable of representing Bayelsa State at the national level.
Amateur athletes in competition at a recent meet ( pix 2, page 21)
PAGE 22
Shooting Stars Coach Shifts Focus To CAF Confed Cup (1)
Shooting Stars coach Salisu Yusuf has shifted his attention to the CAF Confederation Cup after his side opened their 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Inter Lagos at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on Friday.
Goals from Lucky Emmanuel and Sodiq Ibrahim secured all three points for the Oluyole Warriors, who recorded their first opening-day victory in three years.
Lucky opened the scoring in the 14th minute before Inter Lagos captain Uchenna Njoku equalised seven minutes later.
Shooting Stars continued to push for a second goal, with Desmond and Lucky Emmanuel both coming close before the hosts regained their lead on the stroke of half-time. Lucky was brought down inside the box, and Sodiq Ibrahim converted the resulting penalty to send Shooting Stars into the break ahead.
The hosts held on in the second half to begin the new season with a win, but Yusuf believes the game will also help his players build their match fitness ahead of their continental clash against CS Sfaxien on Saturday in Abeokuta.
“We are going to play on the continent next in Abeokuta, and our focus is there at the moment. We will see how we can get the team to play better than this,” Yusuf said.
“This game will give them more match fitness, and that will help us in our next game.”
Shooting Stars will now turn their attention to the CAF Confederation Cup, with Yusuf also hinting at the addition of former Rivers United goalkeeper Victor Sochima to their squad for the continental campaign.
“Sochima trained with us and he brings good experience that can help the team,” the coach said.
Ex-internationals, coaches headline FutbolConect summit (2)
Former internationals, coaches, club owners, scouts and other key stakeholders in Nigerian football are expected to headline the FutbolConect Talent and Club Growth Development Summit 2026, scheduled for Monday, August 31, at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The summit, organised under the theme, “From Grassroots to Stardom,” will focus on talent discovery, club development and ways of creating sustainable opportunities within the football industry.
FutbolConect, which is building a network linking players, clubs, academies and football professionals across borders, is using the event to deepen conversations around access, visibility and growth for African football talent.
According to the organisers, the summit will bring together club owners, scouts, agents, coaches, players, academy representatives, investors and sponsors, among others, to examine practical ways of strengthening the football ecosystem.
Discussions at the event will be anchored on the themes of Connect, Register, Earn and Grow, which the organisers said reflect FutbolConect’s broader objective of creating a more connected and commercially viable pathway for players, clubs and other stakeholders.
Also expected at the summit are FIFA-licensed intermediaries, club representatives and officials from the Nigeria Football Federation, Nigeria National League and Nationwide League One.
The gathering is expected to feature networking and strategic discussions on the future of football development in Nigeria, with particular attention to grassroots talent identification, club growth and opportunities for young players to gain exposure beyond the domestic scene.
S’Eagles Trio Score In Clubs Victories (3)
Super Eagles trio, Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ademola Lookman, were all on the scoresheet in wins for their respective clubs on Saturday, continuing their strong starts to the new season.
Osimhen continued his impressive form as Galatasaray edged Göztepe 3-2 in the Turkish Super Lig.
Göztepe stunned the champions by taking the lead in the 16th minute through Miroshi, before Davinson Sánchez restored parity for the hosts. Osimhen then set up Sara to hand Galatasaray a 2-1 lead, before calmly converting a penalty in the 63rd minute to make it 3-1 and take his season tally to five goals. Göztepe pulled one back late on, but Galatasaray held firm to move to the top of the league table after three matches.
In Spain, Lookman scored his first goal of the season for Atlético Madrid in a 3-1 win over Sevilla, getting on the scoresheet in the 33rd minute after Álex Baena had opened the scoring for the hosts.
In Turkey’s second division, Iheanacho scored and provided an assist for Bursaspor in their win over Kayserispor, taking his involvement to six goals in four games for the club this season.
The Nigerian forward has now scored in every match he has featured in this term, having also been on target against Karagümrük and Igdir FK, and provided an assist in the win over Bodrum FK.
Osimhen ( Pix 2, page 22)
Super Eagles To Switch To Adidas Kits (4)
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are set to begin a new kit era in 2027 after the Nigeria Football Federation agreed to a record-breaking partnership with German sportswear company Adidas.
Under the reported deal, Adidas will pay the NFF $4.5 million annually in cash, while also supplying equipment worth another $4 million each year for Nigeria’s national teams.
The cash component is estimated at about ?6.1 billion, while the equipment package is valued at approximately ?5.4 billion annually.
The agreement will also give the NFF 20 per cent of sales generated through Adidas stores, potentially providing the federation with an additional source of revenue.
The reported figures make the partnership the biggest kit-supply agreement involving an African football federation in terms of revenue. Nigeria’s annual cash payment is also said to be more than double Morocco’s reported figure.
The deal could provide some financial relief for the NFF, which has faced challenges surrounding the funding and administration of Nigeria’s national teams.
Beyond the Super Eagles, the equipment package is expected to benefit other national teams, including the Super Falcons and the country’s youth sides. The arrangement could reduce the federation’s cost of providing kits and other equipment for training camps, qualifiers and international tournaments.
The NFF could also benefit significantly from the 20 per cent merchandise-sales clause if Adidas succeeds in generating strong demand for Nigeria’s football shirts.
Nigeria has previously demonstrated the commercial appeal of its national-team kits, particularly during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when the Super Eagles’ Nike shirt attracted widespread global attention.
A similar level of demand for Adidas merchandise could translate into substantial additional revenue for the federation throughout the partnership.
Super Eagles in one of their current kits (pix 1, page 22)
In a major boost to the commercial fortunes of local football, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has unveiled a $7.5 million title sponsorship deal ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The three-year partnership, worth $2.5 million per season, is expected to increase revenue for participating clubs and strengthen the financial sustainability and commercial appeal of the league.
NPFL Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, disclosed this in Abuja at the unveiling of EUROMATCH as the league’s new title sponsor at the weekend.
According to Elegbeleye, the sponsorship would strengthen the commercial outlook of the NPFL, with 60 per cent of the proceeds from the deal going directly to participating clubs.
He said that the additional revenue would help improve players’ welfare and wages, stressing that the league’s focus should be on promoting its players and giving them greater visibility.
Elegbeleye said the league administration would work largely behind the scenes to ensure that the players, rather than administrators, became the faces of the NPFL.
“We want the world to know our players. Let our league be known. Those of us behind the scenes, let our work reflect and let our work show,” he said
In his remarks, former Minister of Sports and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, commended the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) for embracing reforms, saying the $7.5 million three-year sponsorship deal was a clear indication that treating sports as a business could attract investment and strengthen the country’s football industry.
Dare said the NPFL, clubs, their management and ownership, as well as other key stakeholders, had sustained the reform process despite the challenges of the past three years.
He noted that the development was consistent with the Federal Government’s decision about four and a half years ago to classify sports as a business through the National Sports Policy.
According to him, the policy was complemented by a 10-year football master plan designed to develop the sport, attract foreign direct investment, improve branding and make Nigerian football more commercially attractive.
He also linked the development to increased government funding for sports, saying the budgetary allocation had risen from N1.9 billion to N76 billion, stressing that such an increase must be matched by reforms that could be benchmarked against global standards.
On his part, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, described the deal as a major boost for the development of Nigerian football, saying the partnership would strengthen the NPFL and create greater opportunities for clubs and players.
Gusau said the NFF would continue to support the league’s reforms and initiatives aimed at improving the standard, visibility and commercial value of domestic football, urging all stakeholders to work together to sustain the momentum.
Also, the Group Chairman, EUROMATCH GROUP, Sadi Semih, said the company was delighted to partner with the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), describing the three-year sponsorship deal as a strategic investment in Nigerian football and an opportunity to contribute to the growth and international visibility of the league.
Semih said EUROMATCH GROUP was committed to supporting the development of the NPFL and would work with the league and other stakeholders to ensure that the partnership delivers sustainable value for Nigerian football.
The event was attended by former Super Eagles stars, including Daniel Amokachi, Samson Siasia, Austine Eguavoen and Brown Ideye, among others.
Jose Mourinho has hailed the brutal quality of Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior and suggested one of the pair should win the Ballon d’Or this year.
Madrid have started the new LaLiga campaign with back-to-back victories, beating Espanyol 2-1 and Real Sociedad 4-1, ahead of hosting newly promoted Malaga on yesterday.
Mbappe scored a hat-trick last time out against La Real, with Vinicius getting Los Blancos’ other goal.
And if Madrid are to be successful in his second stint at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Mourinho knows the partnership between Mbappe and Vinicius will be key.
“The key point is the quality, we’re talking about super quality,” Mourinho said at Saturday’s pre-match press conference.
“Then the second point – secondary but still important – is the empathy between two people. A lot of empathy, friendship, collaboration.
“When you combine that with brutal quality, we have everything we need to get better.
“But the dynamic isn’t two plus nine. It’s eleven. They’ll perform better all the time, and I couldn’t be happier with what they’re doing.”
Despite Madrid not winning any of the three major trophies – LaLiga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey – available to them last season, both Mbappe and Vinicius are considered contenders for the Ballon d’Or.
Mbappe registered 48 goal involvements in all competitions for Madrid last season (42 goals, six assists), while Vinicius contributed to 32 (22 goals, 10 assists).
Mbappe also became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer as France finished fourth at this summer’s tournament in North America, and Mourinho believes that achievement should count for more than winning trophies at club level.
When asked about the Ballon d’Or race, Mourinho said: “There are 12 or so players, and we have three or four of them.
“You shouldn’t give a Ballon d’Or because you won a World Cup or Champions League. If you want to reward that, give it to Luis Enrique or Luis de la Fuente.
“Another thing is the best player in the world, it doesn’t have to be a PSG player or a Spain player.
“There are two or three [contenders] and we know who they are and where they are. We know who individually made history this summer.”
Malaga had one point on the board following two games back in LaLiga, drawing 1-1 with fellow promoted side Deportivo de A Coruna last time out, following an opening defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Diego Simeone’s side weather re at the summit of the early-season table after they ended Sevilla’s perfect start to 2026-27, with Baena joined on the scoresheet by Ademola Lookman as Atleti stormed into a 3-0 lead within the first 33 minutes.
Los Colchoneros, who were without wantaway striker Julian Alvarez amid continued interest from Barcelona, had to hold off a second-half fightback attempt from Sevilla, but Miguel Sierra’s goal was the sum of the hosts’ efforts.
Only four minutes were on the clock when Atleti went ahead through Baena, who stayed onside to latch onto Lee Kang-in’s through-ball and finish across goal.
Robbie Ure almost equalised immediately, but the visitors doubled their advantage in the 25th minute as Lookman drove a clever effort inside the near post with minimal backlift, following Pablo Barrios’ marauding run through the centre.
Baena’s second, a ferocious strike across goal from near the right corner of the area – followed soon afterwards, though Atleti needed a series of good saves from Jan Oblak to preserve their clean sheet until half-time.
Lookman had a potential second goal of his own disallowed for offside before Sierra’s left-footed volley skipped up off the turf and into the top-left corner, giving Sevilla hope of a recovery.
But they were unable to get any closer to Atleti, struggling to make any attacking headway after Kike Salas saw an appeal for a penalty against Morten Hjulmand waved away.
Atleti continue to insist Alvarez will not be sold to Barcelona, with the Argentina forward sitting out training this week as he pushes for a move to Catalonia in the final days of the transfer window.
But the absence of their 20-goal marksman from last season – who was booed by his own fans following last week’s 2-2 draw with Villarreal – was hardly noticed as Baena picked up the mantle.
The attacking midfielder – who started seven of eight games during Spain’s triumphant World Cup run – scored his first LaLiga brace since May 2023, when he was still at Villarreal.
And, having scored in Atleti’s season opener in LaLiga before assisting on matchday two, he is the first player to register a direct goal involvement in each of Los Colchoneros’ first three games of a campaign since Angel Correa in 2021-22.
Sevilla ultimately out-shot Atleti by 21 to 12 and generated 0.95 expected goals (xG) to their opponents’ 0.93, but the sheer quality of the visitors’ first-half finishing put them in a commanding position which they would not surrender.
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