Author: Vincent Osuwo

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has announced that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his final World Cup, adding he intends to enjoy every moment of the tournament. The 41-year-old made the remark while meeting with reporters on Sunday, ahead of Portugal’s Round of 16 match against Spain. “It’s about enjoying it as much as possible,” Ronaldo said. “This will be my last World Cup, but let’s hope tomorrow isn’t my last game,” he added. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he would eventually retire from international football with no regrets, insisting he had given his all to the game.…

President Donald Trump commended FIFA on Sunday for postponing the red card awarded to USA forward Folarin Balogun, allowing him to participate in a World Cup last-16 match against Belgium. Balogun was set to miss Monday’s encounter after receiving a straight red card in the last-32 game against Bosnia-Herzegovina for stepping on defender Tarik Muharemovic, which the co-hosts won 2-0. FIFA announced Sunday that the ban would be suspended for a year. “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Balogun has been critical to the USA’s…

FIFA has cleared US forward Folarin Balogun to play in the country’s FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium after overturning the suspension that followed his controversial red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balogun, who scored the opening goal in the United States’ Round of 32 triumph over Bosnia and Herzegovina, was sent off later in the game, resulting in an automatic one-match suspension. However, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee reversed the punishment ahead of Monday’s knockout match in Seattle, finding that the disciplinary penalty should be suspended, according to Fox Sports. FIFA said that the penalty will be suspended…

The federal government denied spending more than N8 trillion beyond the 2026 budget, citing false information and misinterpretation of the International Monetary Fund’s 2026 Article IV Consultation Report. The government claimed that the claims, based on comments attributed to the IMF representative in Nigeria and the fund’s report, incorrectly stated that approximately 2% of Nigeria’s GDP was spent outside of the approved budget. Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, made this announcement on Sunday. The statement follows the IMF’s disclosure that Nigeria left public spending equivalent to nearly 2% of GDP unreported in recent official…

Thousands of delighted fans met the Cape Verde football team at Praia airport, waving banners as the team returned from a narrow defeat to Argentina in one of the World Cup’s most surprising matchups. The Sharks will parade through the capital’s streets before meeting with the president and other government officials from the small archipelago nation off the west coast of Africa. Cape Verde advanced to the knockout stages of their first World Cup, exciting fans at home and garnering new fans abroad as they defied expectations. Cape Verde brought Argentina to the verge of elimination in an exciting last-32…

Erling Haaland and Gabriel are expected to resume their long-running battle on the global stage as Norway take on Brazil in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. The Manchester City striker and Arsenal defense have developed a tense rivalry over the last two Premier League seasons, with a succession of intense on-field clashes that have frequently overshadowed the games themselves. Their latest clash has even larger stakes, as the winner will help drive their country to the World Cup quarterfinals. The tension between the two stems back to September 2024, when Manchester City’s John Stones scored a stunning stoppage-time…

The Imo State Police Command has refuted reports that suspected herders attacked a student hostel, calling the report completely untrue. DSP Henry Okoye, the command’s spokesperson, made the announcement on Sunday in response to Facebook allegations of the purported attack. According to the report, suspected herders set fire to a hostel near the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Owerri, trapping more than 80 students. Okoye claimed that the story was completely untrue, deceptive, and capable of provoking excessive alarm among people. The command advised the public to avoid sharing unverified information, as it could cause fear, panic, or public disorder. Additionally,…

France Football has spoken out on the long-held idea that Ballon d’Or winners must play for European clubs, as debates during the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage intensifies. The Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award, has typically been won by players from Europe’s top leagues, including PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé in 2025 and Manchester City’s Rodri in 2024. This has strengthened the idea that playing in Europe is required to win the award. However, in a statement made on its official X handle on Sunday, the organizer stated that the Ballon d’Or has had no restrictions on a player’s…

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has defended his decision to wear pins bearing the names of 39 abducted children and seven teachers during his performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup event, saying Nigeria’s image should never take precedence over the safety of innocent children. Speaking in an interview with Focus on Africa host Waihiga Mwaura, the singer said he used his global platform to draw attention to the plight of the victims because they remain missing. “Many people don’t really want to talk about what goes on in my country simply because they want to protect…

Worshippers abducted during an attack on a Christ Apostolic Church in Eda Oniyo, Ilejemeje Local Government Area, Ekiti State, have been released. However, one of the victims, a lady, died while under the kidnappers’ captivity. The released victims are currently undergoing treatment at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti, at the expense of the state government. The victims, who were liberated early Saturday, were kidnapped on April 28, 2026, when gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church in Eda Oniyo, a border village between Ekiti and Kwara, during an evening worship. The terrorists shot the pastor before kidnapping 16…