Author: David Great

Memphis Depay broke the scoring record for Netherlands as his brace ensured they survived a scare in beating Lithuania 3-2 away in their World Cup qualifier on Sunday. Two goals for the 31-year-old Depay took his national team tally to 52, going ahead of Robin van Persie’s previous record, and putting the Netherlands top of the Group G standings with 10 points from four games, three ahead of Poland, who were hosting Finland later on Sunday. Depay had the Dutch ahead in the 11th minute as they looked to put aside the disappointment of Thursday’s 1-1 home draw against Poland…

Mikel Merino bagged a hat-trick as Spain thrashed hosts Turkey 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday to remained firmly in control of Group E. The hosts had no answer to Spain’s dominance, undone time and again by the visitors’ speed and finesse, with a helpless Turkish defence torn apart on every counter-attack. Spain lead the group with six points from two matches, while Turkey and Georgia sit on three points from the same. Georgia beat Bulgaria 3-0 earlier on Sunday in the group’s other FIFA World Cup qualifier. The visitors struck early as Pedri found the net in…

England secured a 2-0 win over Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday, maintaining their flawless start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. Thomas Tuchel’s side dominated possession but had to be patient against a compact Andorran defence. The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Noni Madueke’s cross deflected off Christian García and into his own net. Debutant Elliot Anderson impressed in midfield, linking up well with Madueke and Eberechi Eze, though England struggled to convert their chances. Andorra’s goalkeeper, Iker Álvarez, kept his team in the contest with several key saves, including one to deny Anderson a…

The Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has expelled Abdulmumin Jibrin, the lawmaker representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, citing allegations of anti-party conduct and failure to fulfill his financial obligations to the party. The announcement was made on Saturday by the state chairman, Alhaji Hashim Dungurawa, during a press briefing in Kano. Dungurawa explained that Jibrin’s expulsion was a consequence of his repeated media criticisms of the party and its leadership, as well as his public alignment with political opponents of former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. “Instead of dialogue, he went further…

Newly promoted London City Lionesses have signed France international Grace Geyoro for a world record fee of £1.4 million, making her the most expensive signing in women’s history. The fee paid by the Women’s Super League (WSL) for the Paris St Germain forward smashes the £1.1 million paid by NWSL team Orlando Pride for Mexico international Lizbeth Ovalle last month. “London City are delighted to announce the deadline day signing of Grace Geyoro. Subject to the completion of the regulatory processes,” the WSL club wrote on its social media page. The deal is also the fourth time this year that…

The Presidency has announced that Nigeria is on course to meet its annual non-oil revenue target, following a significant surge in collections. In a statement issued on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Federal Government revealed that non-oil revenues for January to August 2025 reached N20.59tn, representing a 40.5 per cent increase from N14.6tn recorded during the same period in 2024. The statement, titled ‘Nigeria’s Non-oil Revenues Power Strongest Fiscal Performance In Recent History’, described the growth as the country’s strongest fiscal outcome in recent years. “Nigeria’s fiscal foundations are being reshaped. For…

FIFA and the Confederation of African Football, CAF, have officially approved the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, as the venue for the upcoming World Cup qualifying clash between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana. There had been uncertainty surrounding the hosting of South Africa’s qualifiers after concerns were raised about the poor pitch condition at the Free State Stadium. Following fresh inspections, however, both governing bodies confirmed the venue met required standards. “Considering the encouraging progress observed on the pitch, both organisations have agreed that the matches will proceed as originally scheduled at the Free State Stadium,” a…

FIFA has announced that ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup will range from $60 to nearly $6,730, with dynamic pricing in effect for the first sales phase. The tournament, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will open its first ticketing opportunity through the Visa Presale Draw beginning September 10 at 11:00 ET (1500 CET) and running until September 19. According to FIFA, prices for group-stage matches will start at $60, while tickets for later rounds, including the final, will reach as high as $6,730. “We have approximately 1 million tickets available for the first…

The Chief Executive Officer of StarTimes, Joshua Wang, has confirmed the cancellation of the pay TV company’s broadcast agreement with the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, citing poor returns on investment. The deal, worth N6bn, was signed in 2023 for a duration of five years. However, both parties have now ended the partnership after just two seasons. Speaking in Abuja during an NPFL event, Wang explained that the economic realities made it impossible for StarTimes to continue with the project. “Since StarTimes has been the broadcast partners of the NPFL, during the past two seasons, we have tried to meet…

Justice Ibrahim Kala of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered British Airways to pay a Nigerian passenger, Mr. Stephen Osho, a total of N53 million in compensation for the loss of his luggage and unfair treatment. The court awarded Osho N50 million as general damages and an additional N3 million as the cost of the action. Delivering judgment on August 21, Justice Kala held that Osho successfully proved that the airline violated its contractual obligation under international carriage rules when it failed to deliver his checked-in baggage on Flight BA307 from Paris to London on December 2, 2022.…