Category sport-news

The Super Eagles won’t be at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the US, and Mexico!

This was after Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo in a tightly-contested African play-offs final on Sunday.

The game ended 1-1 after normal and extra time.  But during penalties, the Leopards of DR Congo overpowered the Super Eagles 3-4 to pick Africa’s sole ticket for the intercontinental play-offs billed for March next year.

Deadlock broken from the spot, DR Congo are through to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament! #WCQ pic.twitter.com/KcKtc0TEas

Nigeria had taken the lead, just three minutes into the final game in Rabat, Morocco.

Midfielder Frank Onyeka struck just within minutes of the game to give Nigeria the advantage.

The Super Eagles looked to make it two but were unable to finish off their chances. As the game wore on, the Central Africans grew into the match, dictating the tempo of the game.

DR Congo advance

It did not take long before they got things levelled. Mechak Elia equalized in the 32nd minute, pegging Nigeria back.

The first half ended like that, but there were surprises when Victor Osimhen did not return for the next 45 minutes.

Nigeria threw in Akor Adams, who plays for Sevilla; however, his introduction and that later, of Tolu Arokodare, made little or no impact.

Chidera Ejuke and Simon Moses were also introduced to boost Nigeria’s attack, but the Super Eagles were forced to play mostly in their half as the Leopard probed for a winner.

However, Nigeria held on to force the game into extra time. The match remained almost the same, with DR Congo dictating things and could have won, but their goal in extra time was ruled out for a foul on Stanley Nwabali.

The Chippa United goalkeeper made a stoppage-time save in extra time to deny Sebastian Desabre’s men a late winner.

When it got to penalties, Nwabali saved two. However, as it entered sudden death, defender Semi Ajayi’s effort was saved before Chancel Mbemba scored the winning spot-kick to pick DR Congo’s ticket to the intercontinental play-offs.

The Super Eagles had defeated Gabon 4-1 to reach this stage, while DR Congo pipped Cameroon.

After defeating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7 / 4) 7-5, Jannik Sinner won the ATP Finals title on Sunday, retaining the title. This marked the end of a turbulent season for his great rival.

Italian Sinner won the championship match in Turin, ending the Australian Open and a historic victory at Wimbledon this year, adding the prestigious year-ending competition to the previous champions.

Despite the World Anti-Doping Agency claiming the 24-year-old was unintentionally contaminated with the banned substance clostebol last year, the 24-year-old also recovered from a three-month ban that severely reduced his season.

Sinner has now won 31 straight matches on indoor hard courts, including the 2023 championship match against Novak Djokovic at Turin’s Inalpi Arena.

Also read: Jake Paul, YouTuber and Anthony Joshua to fight

Four more victories on indoor hard courts would put him on par with John McEnroe’s 47-match record set by Djokovic in the Open era, which is second-highest among the two.

He was unflinching throughout the week in northern Italy, and he hasn’t dropped a set since the Serb lost that final two years ago.

The championship game was an attritional affair, with each player rock-solid on serve until a thrilling tie-break at the final set, which was where Sinner and Alcaraz were a success.

Sinner was in command thanks to a brilliant lob that established a set point, and he was right to use a serve that Alcaraz was only able to simply send wide.

In the second set, Sinner immediately gave Alcaraz the lead before making two double-faults, which enabled him to get a break of serve at the frame’s opening.

Sinner had not dropped a service game in the previous six games, but he broke it in order to get the crowd moving.

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen is among the three finalists for the CAF Player of the Year award. 

The Galatasaray man, the winner of the award in 2023, will battle it out with Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool) and Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain) for Africa’s most-coveted individual prize.

Osimhen was part of the list released on Sunday evening by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the award last won by Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman.

In the women’s version, Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade was also part of the shortlist for the prize.

She will contend with Morocco’s duo of Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy.

READ ALSO: Ajibade Listed, Okoronkwo Missing In Final Shortlist For CAF Women’s Best Player

Men’s category: CAF Award

Below are the shortlists for the men’s categories in the 2025 CAF Awards.

Player of the Year

Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain)
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray)

Goalkeeper of the Year

Munir Mohamedi (Morocco/RS Berkane)
Yassine Bonou (Morocco/Al Hilal)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)

Interclub Player of the Year

Fiston Mayele (DR Congo/Pyramids)
Mohamed Chibi (Morocco/Pyramids)
Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco/RS Berkane)

Coach of the Year

Bubista (Cape Verde)
Mohamed Ouahbi (Morocco U-20)
Walid Regragui (Morocco)

Young Player of the Year

Abdellah Ouazane (Morocco/Ajax)
Othmane Maamma (Morocco/Watford)
Tylon Smith (South Africa/Queens Park Rangers)

National Team of the Year

Cape Verde
Morocco
Morocco U-20

Club of the Year

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)’s Rasheedat Ajibade has made the final shortlist for the CAF Women’s Player of the Year. Still, compatriot Esther Okoronkwo was surprisingly missing from the three footballers named in the last three. 

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) released the final list of players for the prize on Sunday evening.

Okoronkwo of the AFC Toronto was on the initial 10-person shortlist announced earlier.

However, she was omitted from the final shortlist, with the Moroccan duo of Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy completing the last trio for the award.

() – #CAFAwards2025 pic.twitter.com/AHtzjLwwVL

Okoronkwo was part of Nigeria’s team that won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) earlier in the year. She was Player of the Match in the Super Falcons’ historic comeback against Morocco in the final.

PSG’s Ajibade clinched the Player of the Competition after an impressive outing, which saw her voted as the woman of the match on three occasions during Nigeria’s six-game run to their 10th WAFCON.

() – #CAFAwards2025 pic.twitter.com/vBXJ82ibqQ

Meanwhile, Chiamaka Nnadozie is on course for a hat-trick in the Goalkeeper of the Year prize. The Brighton footballer is on the final shortlist for the category.

The 24-year-old has claimed the award twice in a row and is gunning for her third laurel as Africa’s best shotstopper.

Her compatriot, Moshood Shakirat, was also on the final list for the Best Young Player prize for women.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will also be aiming to win the national team of the year after an impressive year that saw them win a record-extending WAFCON.

Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, has named his starting lineup for the game against DR Congo in the final of the 2026 World Cup play-offs, dropping striker, Akor Adams, to the bench. 

Akor, who plays for Sevilla, scored the first goal in Nigeria’s victory over the Panthers of Gabon on Thursday, a match the Super Eagles won 4-1. 

However, defender Semi Ajayi, who did not play in the semi-final match against Gabon, is back in the starting team, while Frank Onyeka is also part of the first 11. 

Ajayi was sidelined for the previous match following an accumulation of yellow cards. He will partner with Fulham’s Calvin Bassey in the heart of Nigeria’s defence.

READ ALSO: [Preview] Nigeria, DR Congo Face-Off In 2026 World Cup Play-Offs Final

Zaidu Sanusi will man the left flank of the Super Eagles’ defence, while fast-rising star Benjamin Frederick takes the right back position.

In midfield, Alex Iwobi of Fulham will pull the strings. The former Arsenal man is supported by Wilfred Ndidi and Onyeka (who came in from the bench in the last game).

As expected, Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen spearheads Nigeria’s attack. Reigning African Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze will run the flanks.

READ ALSO: Ndidi Eligible To Face DR Congo On Sunday, CAF Confirms

TEAM NEWS ️

Two changes from our win over Gabon.
Iwobi pulls the strings in midfield.
Osimhen leads the line.#SoarSuperEagles #NGADRC #FIFAWCQ2026 pic.twitter.com/jFdJRgUHPj

The match between Nigeria and DR Congo is a fight for a place in the intercontinental play-offs.

It is a winner-take-all game with the victor going on to represent Africa in the play-offs next March.

Portugal crushed Armenia 9-1 despite the absence of suspended talisman Cristiano Ronaldo on Sunday to clinch qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals.

Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Paris Saint-Germain’s Joao Neves both scored a hat-trick as Roberto Martinez’s side racked up a huge win in Porto to top Group F.

Renato Veiga got the ball rolling for Portugal, with Goncalo Ramos and Francisco Conceicao also on the scoresheet.

After a draw in Hungary in October and a surprise defeat in Ireland on Thursday, in which Ronaldo was sent off, Portugal wrapped up qualification at the third attempt in their final group match.

They will compete in a seventh consecutive edition of the World Cup, a tournament which the Euro 2016 champions are yet to win.

“We always want to win in the same way — to be convincing and control the game. It’s not always possible, but today we were effective and achieved a good victory,” said Fernandes.

With midfielder Fernandes playing a key role throughout, Portugal made a quick start by scoring in the seventh minute.

Fernandes’s vicious inswinging free-kick from just outside the left side of the box was pushed onto the post by goalkeeper Henri Avagyan, but Veiga was on hand to head home the rebound.

The visitors shocked the hosts by scoring on their first attack to equalise, with Grant-Leon Ranos crossing for Armenia captain Eduard Spertsyan to strike.

However, Portugal quickly stepped up a gear and racked up an unassailable lead. Paris Saint-Germain striker Ramos intercepted a back pass and squeezed home his country’s second after rounding Avagyan.

Portugal put together a tidy move for their third, with Neves blasting home from the edge of the box after being teed up by Fernandes.

Neves netted a spectacular second with a free-kick which flew into the top right corner, leaving Avagyan with no chance.

Fernandes netted the fifth in first-half stoppage time with a low penalty after Ruben Dias was fouled.

READ ALSO: Ndidi Eligible To Face DR Congo On Sunday, CAF Confirms

 ‘Now we can truly dream’ 

The Manchester United midfielder continued where he left off after the break, slotting home his second after being fed by Ramos.

Fernandes completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after debutant substitute Carlos Forbs was felled.

Neves followed suit for Portugal’s eighth goal, smashing home after Veiga headed Fernandes’s cross into his path.

Juventus forward Conceicao added the ninth in stoppage time to seal one of his country’s biggest-ever victories.

“Now we can truly dream about the World Cup, I was very pleased with the players’ response (after the Ireland defeat),” said Martinez.

“We’re at the World Cup! Let’s go, Portugal!” wrote Ronaldo on social media platform X.

The striker could miss the start of the tournament depending on whether FIFA extend his suspension beyond the mandatory one-match ban he served against Armenia.

Ireland stunned Hungary with a late winner to triumph 3-2 in the other Group F match and reach the play-offs, with Troy Parrott following up his midweek brace against Portugal with a hat-trick.