Sports
Minister Advocates Jail For Match-Fixers
The Minister of
Sports Bolaji Abdullahi has called for criminal prosecution to be instituted against match-fixers.
Nigerians were stunned earlier this year when two amateur league games produced an amazing 146 goals. Although the culprits were handed sanctions ranging from lengthy suspensions to life bans, there were no criminal proceedings carried out.
On a courtesy visit by delegates of the League Management Company (LMC) to the sports minister’s office, Adullahi warned that any referee or club found to be involved in match-fixing will be handed over to law enforcement agents.
“Any referee that is involved in match fixing will be dragged to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission,” Abdullahi warned.
“I think by the time one of those fixing matches in this country is dragged to court and jailed, others will know that the practice is an offence and the government is determined to descend on anyone to sanitise our football.”
The minister, however, noted that referees are not the only guilty parties, pointing out that players, club owners and some highly-placed football administrators in both the NFF and LMC are also involved.
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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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