Category: Sports

Sports

2023 AFCON: Super Eagles squad tops list of ‘most valuable’ team

Aminu Imam

The Super Eagles of Nigeria squad tops the list of the most expensive teams for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, (AFCON), kicking-off tomorrow, Saturday, in Ivory Coast across six stadiums, according to the latest report by UK betting site, BettingSites.co.uk. Twenty-four teams will compete for honours at the biggest football tournament in Africa, with some of the biggest teams and players set to lock horns in the Ivory Coast in a one-month football carnival. According to the report, Nigeria’s team is at the top of the squad valuation of…

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SuperSport to now air AFCON matches live – MultiChoice

Aminu Imam

SuperSport channels, on DSTV and GOtv, will now air all 52 matches of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Cote d’Ivoire live, beginning from this Saturday, 13 January. Recall that MultiChoice had last week said SuperSport channel on DSTV would not be able to broadcast the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament live. The company had, in a statement, said it would not be able to broadcast the tournament live because it did not secure the rights to broadcast it. “SuperSport Channel will not broadcast the Africa Cup…

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Renewed Hope: Tinubu clears ?12bn outstanding payment for Super Eagles, others

Aminu Imam

President Bola Tinubu has cleared the outstanding payment that the Federal Government-owed the Super Eagles and other sporting teams of the country. According to a statement posted on the social media handle of Tinubu’s Media Centre, yesterday, the payment entails the clearing of the senior national team coach salaries running up to 15 months, payments of allowances and promises due to the senior national teams, females, and Under-20 national team. The statement reads: “President @officialABAT has approved the payment of N12 billion outstanding backlog for Nigeria’s National teams of various…

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StarTimes announces readiness to show AFCON 2023

Aminu Imam

Chinese electronics and media company, StarTimes, has rekindled the spark in the hearts of football lovers in Nigeria with their latest announcement, revealing that it’ll be airing the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament live, a feat MultiChoice couldn’t attain. The AFCON broadcasting rights were not acquired by MultiChoice Group, as the company disclosed on Wednesday. The competition, which is scheduled to start in Ivory Coast on January 13, is unlikely to air on the broadcast giant’s SuperSport channel, according to reports. Nigerian football fans had hoped to watch the…

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2023 AFCON winner to pocket N6.2bn

Aminu Imam

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) yesterday announced that the winner of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) will go home with a whopping sum of $7,000,000, (about N6.2 billion – using the exchange rate of N891.8400 to a U.S dollar as at 5pm yesterday), representing 40% increase in the prize money for the winner. CAF, which disclosed this in a statement posted on its website: CAFOnline, also raised the prize money of the previous AFCON edition held in 2022 in Cameroon, from $4.5 million to $5 million, an…

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‘SuperSport won’t broadcast AFCON 2023’ – DSTV

Aminu Imam

Nigerians will have to turn to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and other free-to-air channels to watch the Super Eagles in action at the 2023 African Cup of Nations, (AFCON), as MultiChoice, owner of cable platform, DSTV, yesterday announced that it will not broadcast the games on SuperSport. Recall that the 2023 AFCON will kick-off in Ivory Coast on January 13, 2024. MultiChoice, in an issued statement, said it failed to secure the right to broadcast the 2023 AFCON. “However, the games will be available through our partner broadcast stations…

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2034 World Cup: Saudi Arabia relaxes LGBTQ laws to woo fans

Aminu Imam

After winning the bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the government of Saudi Arabia has taken measures to relax some of its homosexual laws, in a bid to accommodate thousands of fans who will be travelling to the Middle-East for the biggest football festival. In Saudi Arabia, homosexuality is illegal as well and punishable by death. Other punishments can include imprisonment and flogging. President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), Yasser Al-Misehal, said the country will welcome everyone and Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual,  Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) fans at…

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Kenyan Marathon runner Ekiru gets 10-year doping ban

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

Kenyan marathon runner Titus Ekiru has been banned for 10 years, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said Monday, for both doping and tampering in a case that involved collusion with a high-ranking doctor in a Kenyan hospital. One of his positive tests, for triamcinolone acetonide, came at the Milan Marathon in May 2021, which he won in a time of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds, which would currently rank him the seventh-fastest all-time marathon athlete. The ban comes after an investigation found the 31-year-old obstructed the AIU’s probe…

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2025, 2027 AFCON: CAF names hosts

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir
AFCON CUP

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has named Morocco hosts for the 2025 AFCON, while a joint bid from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania got the nod for the 2027 AFCON. Morocco won the hosting right by garnering 22 votes, after Algeria, Zambia and a joint bid by Nigeria/Benin Republic withdrew before the voting. At their voting at the Cairo Marriott Hotel in Egypt on Wednesday, the Executive Committee of CAF announced the North Africans and East Africans as hosts for the 2025, 2027 editions respectively A joint bid by Nigeria…

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Promising 18-Year-Old Nigerian Footballer, Tijani Yakubu Set to Blaze a Trail in the Footballing World

Aminu Imam

In the heart of Nigeria’s northern central region, a young and exceptionally talented footballer is on the cusp of taking the footballing world by storm. Tijani Yakubu, born on September 20, 2005, in the quaint town of Lafia, Nasarawa state, has emerged as a rising star in the football landscape, showcasing extraordinary skills and determination that belie his tender age of 18. Tijani’s journey into the world of football began as a young boy, displaying a natural flair for the sport that couldn’t be ignored. His passion for the game…

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