Nigeria General Sport news

• FA backs Tuchel despite England’s World Cup heartbreak

  16-07-2026 18:43 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Adegboyega AdeleyeEngland manager Thomas Tuchel has retained the full backing of the Football Association despite the Three Lions’ heartbreaking exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with FA chief executive Mark Bullingham insisting the German “gave it everything” during the campaign.England’s 60-year wait for a major men’s trophy continued on Wednesday after Argentina staged a dramatic late comeback to win 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, overturning An
  
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• World Cup 2026: Supercomputer Predicts Spain vs Argentina Final

  18-07-2026 09:21 via completesports.com
  Opta supercomputer has tipped Spain to beat reigning champion Argentina in the final of the World Cup 2026 on Sunday, TNT Sports reports. Ahead of the epic encounter, the supercomputer has given Spain a 59% chance of lifting the trophy in New Jersey on Sunday, while Argentina have a 41% chance of glory. For the [...]
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• Messi to get ‘special attention’ from Spain, says de la Fuente

  18-07-2026 09:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Luis de la Fuente said Spain planned to pay “special attention” to Lionel Messi in Sunday’s World Cup final but ruled out trying to man-mark the Argentina captain.De la Fuente told reporters at a press conference on Friday that he knows from experience the challenges of using man-to-man marking against the eight-time Ballon D’Or winner.The Spain coach recalled an experience from when he was coaching Sevilla’s youth team while Messi was playing junior football for B
  
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• WAFCON 2026: Please Don’t Beat Us 5-0, 1-0 Is Enough —Malawi Captain Pleads With Super Falcons

  18-07-2026 08:21 via completesports.com
  Malawi captain, Tabitha Chawinga, has jokingly pleaded with the Super Falcons not to inflict a heavy defeat on her team when the two sides clash in their opening Group C game at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat, Morocco. The Super Falcons have been drawn alongside Malawi, Zambia and Egypt, and will [...]
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• Orban Set For Loan Move To Turkish Club

  18-07-2026 08:00 via completesports.com
  
  Nigeria striker Gift Orban is on the verge of joining newly promoted Turkish Süper Lig club Amedspor on loan for the 2025/26 season, Completesports.com reports. According to reports from Turkey, Amedspor have reached an agreement with Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim and the player over a season-long loan deal that includes an option to make the [...]
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• World Cup 2026: England Must Learn To Close The Gap On Spain, Argentina, France

  18-07-2026 07:06 via completesports.com
  England manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted that a gap remains between the Three Lions and serial tournament winners like Argentina, France, and Spain. Speaking ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, Tuchel noted that traditional powerhouses like Argentina and France have established the expectation to win major trophies, whereas England is still in [...]
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• Monreal: Rogers Can Adapt To Arsenal’s Style Of Football

  18-07-2026 06:58 via completesports.com
  
  Former Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal has named Morgan Rogers as one of the wingers Arsenal should sign this summer, stating that the Aston Villa man possesses all the necessary qualities to make a massive impact for the Gunners. Monreal praised the 23-year-old’s breakout performances, advocating that his style of play could fix the inconsistencies Arsenal [...]
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• World Cup 2026: Laporte Warns Spain Of Argentina’s Provocative Tactics

  18-07-2026 06:46 via completesports.com
  Spain defender Aymeric Laporte has warned his teammates that the FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Argentina will descend into chaos unless the referee cracks down on Argentina’s aggressive tactics. Speaking ahead of the final at New York New Jersey Stadium, Laporte stated that Argentina likes to leave a mark on opponents and unsettle them. [...]
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• Trump blames Tuchel over England’s World Cup tactics

  18-07-2026 06:43 via vanguardngr.com
  
  To the long list of critics of England’s tactics in the World Cup semi-final they lost to Argentina can now be added Donald Trump.The US president on Friday took a gentle swipe at coach Thomas Tuchel’s decision to adopt defensive tactics after England took the lead against Argentina on Wednesday.Speaking at a reception in New York alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Trump mentioned England captain Harry Kane, with whom he shared a round of golf in Florida 18 months ago.&ldquo
  
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• World Cup 2026: Who Wins — Spain or Argentina? —Odegbami

  18-07-2026 06:00 via completesports.com
  The curtains will be drawn on the 2026 FIFA World Cup tomorrow. The 104 football battles fought amongst 48 countries will come to a most befitting climax. The two teams at the finish line are amongst the 7 that have previously won the World Cup, maintaining a tradition that only a few countries in the [...]
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• Pele’s 1958 World Cup final Brazil shirt sells for $4.9m

  18-07-2026 03:30 via thesun.ng
  
  The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele when he scored twice in the 1958 ‌World Cup final has sold for $4.9 ‌million at auction, becoming ‌the most valuable piece of ‌memorabilia linked to the football ‌legend, Sotheby’s said on Thursday.
  The number 10 shirt, ‌worn by the then 17-year-old as ‌Brazil beat hosts Sweden 5-2 in ​Stockholm to win their first world title, attracted ​10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house said.
  The sale m
  
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• 2026 FIFA World Cup final: History asking for a signature  

  18-07-2026 03:14 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Douglas Baye-Osagie  If the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, could have written the script of the 2026 World Cup before a ball was kicked, this would possibly be it. The European Champions against the World Champions. The past meeting the present.  And in the middle, at 39, is Lionel Messi. One more final. One more chance to cement what is already immortal.This is not just a game. This is history asking for a signature. And if it happ
  
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• France battles England for bronze

  18-07-2026 02:02 via thesun.ng
  
  It’s the game that nobody from either France or England will want to play.
  The World Cup third-place play-off is the ‘wooden spoon’ of the tournament. A needless and pointless 90 minutes so one country can say they finished as the third-best.
  Frankly, it’s a title that no one wants. Not least in the wake of the crushing disappointment that only losing in a semi-final can bring.
  Today’s game will be Didier Deschamps’ last in charge of Les Bleus before handing t
  
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• World Cup winners to receive US-style championship rings

  18-07-2026 02:00 via thesun.ng
  
  The winners of Sunday’s World ‌Cup final between Spain and Argentina will receive championship rings in addition to the trophy and gold medals, FIFA said, the latest sign of the governing body’s push to Americanise its flagship tournament.
  FIFA said 30 ​bespoke rings would be presented to the winning team following the final at ​New York New Jersey Stadium, with the captain and head coach initially receiving temporary versions immediately after the match.
  The rings w
  
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• Meet Slavko Vincic, the 2026 final referee

  18-07-2026 01:59 via thesun.ng
  
  Slovenia’s Slavko Vincic will officiate his maiden FIFA World Cup final when football heavyweights Argentina and Spain meet in Sunday’s title clash. While the 46-year-old will become the first Slovenian to referee a World Cup final, he arrives with an impressive European résumé, having taken charge of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League final and the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League final.
  A vastly experienced official, Vinčić has previously handled the UEFA Champions
  
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• FIFA respond to ‘insensitive’ Argentina banner

  18-07-2026 01:57 via thesun.ng
  
  FIFA is exploring disciplinary action after a group of Argentina players displayed a banner touting their country’s claim to the Falklands Islands following their 2-1 win over England at the World Cup.
  After the full-time whistle of Wednesday’s semi-final, some members of the Argentina squad could be seen holding a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, which translates as “The Falklands are Argentine”.
  Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero and Giovani L
  
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• Barco’s wife labels Bellingham ‘useless’

  18-07-2026 01:56 via thesun.ng
  
  …After England star slaps husband
  VALENTIN Barco’s wife has branded Jude Bellingham “useless” and bizarrely claimed the six-goal England hero should have done his talking on the pitch.
  Model and influencer Yaz Juareguy posted a photo of the moment the Real Madrid star clipped her man around the ear.
  It is believed to be a reaction to the left-back’s decision to jump and cheer in front of the England players after Enzo Fernandez equalised from long range in the 85th
  
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• SportyTV nears one billion views …as FIFA World Cup coverage redefines sports broadcasting in Africa

  18-07-2026 01:52 via thesun.ng
  
  The 2026 FIFA World Cup is transforming how football fans across Africa experience the world’s biggest sporting event, ushering in a new era of sports broadcasting driven by accessibility, digital innovation, and community engagement.
  For decades, following every moment of the FIFA World Cup often required expensive subscriptions or was limited by broadcast availability. This year’s tournament has changed that narrative, bringing premium football to millions of fans across television
  
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• StarTimes, Meridianbet partner to host FIFA World Cup Final Watch Party in Lagos

  18-07-2026 01:51 via thesun.ng
  
  As the FIFA World Cup 2026 reaches its thrilling conclusion, StarTimes Nigeria and Meridianbet Nigeria have announced a partnership to host a major FIFA World Cup Final Watch Party in Lagos, bringing football fans together for an unforgettable match-day experience while celebrating one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
  The event, scheduled for Sunday, July 19, will take place at King Jaja Hall, University of Lagos (UNILAG), where hundreds of football enthusiasts are expected to gather
  
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• CWG: NSC raises athlete benefits as Amusan storms camp

  18-07-2026 01:48 via thesun.ng
  
  Team Nigeria has received a major morale boost ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with the National Sports Commission (NSC) unveiling an enhanced welfare and incentive package aimed at ensuring the country’s athletes compete under improved conditions.
  The package, approved by the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, introduces significant improvements in travel support, camping allowances, competition incentives and medal rewards as
  
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• WAFU B U20 Tourney: Flying Eagles to begin title defence against Satellites in Yamoussoukro

  18-07-2026 01:47 via thesun.ng
  
  Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles, will kick off their WAFU B title defence against the Black Satellites of Ghana on 27th July at the prestigious Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro in Côte d’Ivoire.
  The match, which is a repeat of the 2024 final in Lome, in which the Flying Eagles defeated the Satellites 2-1 to emerge champions, will kick off at 2pm local time (3pm Nigeria time ).
  Matchday 2 on 30th July will see the seven-time African champions trade tackles with Junior
  
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• Iheanacho agrees deal with Bursaspor

  18-07-2026 01:45 via thesun.ng
  
  Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has reportedly reached an agreement to join Turkish club Bursaspor after his contract with Scottish champions Celtic expired at the end of the 2025/2026 season.
  Iheanacho moved to Celtic last summer after mutually terminating his contract with Spanish side Sevilla, where he endured a difficult 2024/2025 campaign.
  The Nigerian international rediscovered his form in Scotland and, despite battling injuries during the season, played an important role as Celtic
  
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• Nigeria qualifies for 2026 African Nations Championship

  18-07-2026 01:42 via thesun.ng
  
  Nigeria have qualified for the 2026 African Nations Championship after extending their unbeaten run at the Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, BSNSports.com.ng reports.
  The Nigerian team booked their place at the continental championship, which will be held in the Democratic Republic of Congo in September, with a 3-1 comeback victory over Benin Republic on Friday, July 17.
  Nigeria recovered from losing the opening set 21-25 to win the next three sets 25-21, 25-15, and 25-20, securing anot
  
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• Joshua sets sight on Prenga tune-up fight July 25

  18-07-2026 01:40 via thesun.ng
  
  Anthony Joshua is on a collision course with Tyson Fury, but he will have to get through Kristian Prenga first.
  The unknown Albanian heavyweight has been selected as a tune-up opponent for AJ ahead of the long-awaited all-British showdown, tentatively pencilled in for November.
  Prenga (20-1) isn’t expected to cause Joshua too many problems, though he does boast a 100 per cent knockout ratio.
  That being said, the 35-year-old has never fought anyone close to Joshua’s calibre, while his
  
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• Usman vs. Plessis: Former UFC champions meet in crucial main event

  18-07-2026 01:32 via thesun.ng
  
  “The Nigerian Nightmare” Kamaru Usman gets one of the biggest tests of his late-career run on Saturday, July 18, when he meets former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis in the five-round main event of UFC Fight Night 281 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The bout is set at 185 pounds and puts two former champions in a fight with clear title implications.
   
  Usman
  The Nigerian-American arrives with a 21-4 MMA record and a resume that places him among the defining UFC wel
  
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• Gabon forward Aubameyang leaves Marseille for Deportivo La Coruna

  18-07-2026 00:16 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Gabon international striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has joined Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna from Marseille on a contract until 2028, the promoted La Liga side announced Friday.Aubameyang, who still had a year remaining on his contract with the Ligue 1 club, leaves after playing 92 matches and scoring 44 goals.The 37-year-old arrived in Marseille in the summer of 2023 and returned in 2025 following a season at Saudi Arabia club Al-Qadsiah.“His career demonstrates exceptional consiste
  
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• Olabiyi Signs First Professional Contract With Wycombe

  17-07-2026 22:49 via completesports.com
  Wycombe Wanderers have handed Nigerian youngster Micah Olabiyi his first professional contract. Olabiyi, who made his senior debut against Bromley in the Carabao Cup in August last year, has been praised for his impressive debut season with the club’s academy during the 2025/26 campaign. Read Also:Arsenal Agree Fee With Club Brugge To Sign Greek Winger [...]
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• Done Deal: Super Eagles Winger Completes Russian Club Switch

  17-07-2026 22:36 via completesports.com
  
  Russian Premier League FC Rostov have completed the signing of Super Eagles winger Olakunle Olusegun, Completesports.com reports. Olusegun linked up with FC Rostov from another Russian club, Krasnodar. The former Golden Eaglets star spent last season on loan at Nizhny Novgorod, scoring five times in 26 league appearances. FC Rostov announced the 24-year-old’s arrival on [...]
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• Liberia cancel US football friendly after visa denials

  17-07-2026 22:17 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Liberia have cancelled their planned football friendly against Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United after US visas for at least some team members were denied.Liberia’s Ministry of Sports announced the cancellation in a statement published on its Facebook page on Wednesday that said “members of the Liberian national team and the official delegation were denied United States visas, making it impossible to field the required delegation and fulfill the contractual obligations wi
  
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• World Cup final: Tackling Messi ‘huge challenge’ for Spain, says Merino

  17-07-2026 21:58 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Spanish super-sub Mikel Merino said Friday that neutralising the threat of Lionel Messi will be a “huge challenge” as La Roja prepare for their World Cup final showdown against Argentina.Argentina skipper Messi, 39, has been pivotal in dragging the defending champions into Sunday’s final in East Rutherford, orchestrating a 2-1 semi-final victory over England with two assists.Messi, the tournament’s joint top-scorer with eight goals, also inspired a dramatic comeback agai
  
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