IN NIGERIA
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Football pundits have described Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier between Super Eagles and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana as a must-win clash that could shape Nigeria’s campaign.

In separate interviews with newsmen on Monday, a Football analyst, Monday Izegagbe said Nigeria’s qualification hopes remain alive, but victory in all remaining matches is essential.

Izegagbe said Nigeria’s talent must be translated into a cohesive performance.

He stressed that South Africa’s resurgence under coach Hugo Broos poses a major threat, with the team now built on youthful energy and tactical discipline.

Former Nigeria international, Azuka Izu also urged the Super Eagles to be focused, warning against underestimating Bafana Bafana’s improvement under coach Hugo Broos.

The Super Eagles will face Bafana Bafana on Tuesday at the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein at 5 p.m.
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Super Eagles stars Samuel Chukwueze, and Stanley Nwabali says they are optimistic ahead of the team’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

Chukwueze, and Nwabali are upbeat on the Super Eagles chances heading into the contest.
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Former Nigerian international Sunday Oliseh has disclosed that South Africa will not escape the sledgehammer from FIFA after fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.

Oliseh stated that South Africa are in trouble for fielding Teboho Mokoena and that its a matter of time for FIFA to intervene.

Meanwhile, Former Nigeria international Victor Ikpeba says the Super Eagles always have the psychological edge whenever they face South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
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South Africa head coach Hugo Broos believed the Super Eagles will not miss Victor Osimhen in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup encounter.

Broos claimed Osimhen’s absence won’t be an advantage for his team.
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Tunisia has qualified for the 2026 Fifa World Cup after scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner away against Equatorial Guinea.

Firas Chaouat dispossessed Coco, advanced into the box and unselfishly squared for Mohamed Ben Romdhane to score Tunisia’s only goal.

Tunisia had goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen to thank for a string of saves in the second half as he acrobatically kept out efforts from Saul Coco, Emilio Nsue and Alejandro Masogo.

The Carthage Eagles are assured of top spot in Group H with two games to spare, and have reached Canada, Mexico and the United States without conceding a goal in their eight qualifiers to date.

It will be the seventh time the national side who have never progressed past the group stage at a World Cup will feature at the finals.
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The President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Musa Nimrod, has commended the Under-18 Beach Volleyball female team for qualifying for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.

Nimrod said the team had a good performance in the just-concluded 2025 Africa Under-18 Beach Volleyball Youth Development Cup held in Banjul, Gambia.

Nimrod, who is also the president of the CAVB Beach Volleyball Commission, commended other participating teams for their effort, noting that the level of competition improved tremendously.
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Ekiti Queens, the State female football club has resumed its pre-season activities for the 2025/2026 Nigeria Women Football League season with a special prayer.

The club Media Officer, Ademola Atobaba, said the move was to ensure adequate protection and guidance of the club in all its endeavours in the new season.

He assured fans of Ekiti Queens FC, home and abroad, of a better season with impressive performance.
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Brighton women head coach Dario Vidosic has showered encomium on Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie after her impressed debut for the club.

Nnadozie moved to the AMEX Stadium after severing ties with French D’Arkema outfit Paris FC.

Vidosic praised the 24-year-old for her excellent performance in the thrilling contest against Aston Villa women.

Nnadozie was voted Player of the Match after the game.
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IN ENGLAND
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Manchester City and the Premier League have reached a settlement in their dispute over the rules that govern commercial deals.

City accepted the rules governing associated party transactions, APT, are valid and binding, with both parties agreeing to terminate legal proceedings.

The club had mounted a legal challenge against the Premier League, claiming new rules were unlawful.

City are also awaiting the outcome of a landmark disciplinary hearing after being charged by the Premier League with more than one hundred alleged breaches of financial rules for which the club deny wrongdoing.
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The board of Tottenham Hotspur says its owner has unequivocally rejected two expressions of interest in the north London football club and that it is not for sale.

The announcement came after the sudden departure of executive chairman Daniel Levy last week triggered speculation that a takeover bid could be imminent.

Tottenham said one approach was from former Newcastle United shareholder Amanda Staveley’s PCP International Finance Limited and the other from a consortium led by Dr. Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited.

In a short statement, PCP International Finance said that it did not intend to make an offer for Tottenham.
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England Under-21s made a winning start to the defence of their European title with a comfortable two-nil victory in the opening qualifier in Kazakhstan.

Lee Carsley’s side won the European Under-21 Championship in both 2023 and 2025, although most of the players from those successes are now too old to play in the tournament.

Arsenal winger Ethan Nwaneri, gave the Young Lions the lead in the 18th minute with a low strike into the bottom corner following good work by debutant Divin Mubama, who is on loan at Stoke City from Manchester City.

Captain Jobe Bellingham, headed in a second for England when he met a corner from Everton’s Tyler Dibling.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Three countries will not feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being excluded from the competition for different reasons.

Russia remains barred from international football following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Both FIFA and UEFA have upheld the ban, meaning the Russian Football Union (RFU), its men’s and women’s national teams, and domestic clubs are ineligible to compete in upcoming tournaments, including the World Cup and European Championships.

When UEFA conducted its qualification draw in December, Russia was notably absent, leaving the other 54 Three countries will not feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being excluded from the competition for different reasons.

Russia remains barred from international football following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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Bayer Leverkusen has appointed Kasper Hjulmand as head coach following the sacking of Erik ten Hag last week after just two games in charge.

The former Denmark coach signed a contract until the summer of 2027 with the Bundesliga club.

The 53-year-old Dane guided his country to the European Championship semi-finals in 2021, where they narrowly lost to England after extra time.

Hjulmand’s appointment ends a turbulent period for the club who dismissed former Manchester United boss Ten Hag on 1st September.

Hjulmand, who led Nordsjaelland to their only Danish title in 2011-12, is expected to be in charge for Leverkusen’s home match against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.
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Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has been given a ten-month ban for taking a banned substance found in a medicine used to prevent hair loss following his cancer treatment.

The 30-year-old Spaniard tested positive for canrenone following a three-nil defeat by Manchester United in the Europa League semi-finals in May.

Uefa accepted Alvarez’s defence that he mistakenly ingested the substance by taking a preventative medicine for alopecia which contained canrenone.

Alvarez, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, said he had been taking the medicine as part of his treatment for hair loss ever since.

He will be able to play again from 2nd April 2026 and can rejoin training sessions from 2 February.
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Wales head coach Craig Bellamy says he does not fear a beating from Canada but chose them as friendly opponents because he wanted his team to be properly tested.

Canada, who are three places above Wales in the world rankings, visit the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday as they continue preparations for next year’s World Cup, which they are jointly hosting with the USA and Mexico.

Wales went top of their World Cup qualifying group after last Thursday’s win in Kazakhstan, though they have since slipped to third after a victories for North Macedonia and Belgium.

As Wales are sitting out the next two matchdays in qualifying, their next two fixtures are friendlies, against Canada and then England next month before resuming their campaign at home to Belgium in October.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Basketball, Serena Williams has set her sights on new playing court: basketball.

The retired tennis star has invested in the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league, Unrivaled, now valued at $340 million. 

Williams participated in the two-year-old league’s Series B investment round through her Serena Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm. Joining her is former FIFA World Cup champion Alex Morgan, through her Trybe Ventures.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King and other notable sports figures participated, too. 

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• In Boxing, Anthony Joshua’s world title aspirations have taken a hit following a 12-month hiatus from the ring.

AJ has not stepped between the ropes since last September when he suffered a devastating knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.

Surgery on a lingering elbow injury has delayed his return to the ring, but the Watford powerhouse is now back in training as he looks to mount a comeback.

Despite this, inactivity has caused him to drop out of the IBF heavyweight rankings.
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Canelo Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) will defend his undisputed super middleweight title on 13th September against Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

This superfight will be preceded by a stacked fight week featuring multiple bouts before Canelo vs Crawford takes centre stage.

The action on 13th  September will be streamed live on Netflix and promoted by Zuffa, Sela, and Riyadh Season.
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In Tennis, Jack Draper will not play again this season because of the arm injury that forced his withdrawal from the US Open.

The 23-year-old British number one left New York before his second-round match because the discomfort in his arm had become too much.

Draper, ranked seventh in the world, had not played singles since Wimbledon because of bruising on his upper left serving arm, although his team were confident a scan taken before the US Open suggested a full recovery.

The news means Draper will not be able to realise this season’s goal of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals, in Turin in November, for the first time.
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In Cricket, England has yet to decide on the eleven players who will play in the first Ashes Test against Australia, says coach Brendon McCullum.

The series begins in Perth on 21st November and England are expected to have a largely settled team.

One of the few positions in doubt is number three, with the selectors having to decide whether to retain vice-captain Ollie Pope or opt for 21-year-old Jacob Bethell.

The young left-hander scored his first professional century in Sunday’s third one-day international against South Africa.
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In Rugby, Christian Wade will leave reigning Super League champions Wigan Warriors at the end of the rugby league season to return to rugby union with Newcastle Red Bulls from December.

The 34-year-old crossed codes to join Wigan on a short-term deal from Gloucester at the end of the 2024-25 Premiership season but could not make a lasting impact in the 13-a-side game.

Wade made two appearances for Wigan and scored tries in both, but committed persistent handling mistakes when fielding high kicks in their defeat by Hull FC in July, which was the last time he played for the Warriors.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
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IN CAF WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Sierra Leone vs Ethiopia

Burkina Faso vs Egypt

Congo DR vs Senegal

Togo vs Sudan k

Zimbabwe vs Rwanda

South Africa vs Nigeria

Benin vs Lesotho

Cape Verde vs Cameroon
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IN UEFA World CUP QUALIFIERS

Azerbaijan vs Ukraine

France vs Iceland

Hungary vs Portugal

Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Austria

Serbia vs England
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Champions keep playing until they get it right…words from Billie Jean King.