Sport
NFF Announces Date for 2025 President Federation Cup Draw
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially revealed the schedule for the 2025 President Federation Cup for both men and women. The highly anticipated national draw is set to take place on Friday, April 11, at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja.
For the men’s competition, two clubs from each of the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will compete in the Round of 64 after earlier eliminations in the qualifying rounds.
Meanwhile, the women’s tournament kicks off with the Round of 32 and progresses through the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the grand finale.
The men’s Round of 64 matches are scheduled for Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, followed by the Round of 16 on Wednesday, May 14.
The quarterfinals will be played on Thursday, June 5, and the semi-finals on Wednesday, June 18. Both competitions will conclude with the final on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
The stakes are high for the men’s tournament, as the winner will represent Nigeria in the 2025-26 CAF Confederation Cup, showcasing their talent on the continental stage.
The defending champions, El-Kanemi Warriors and Rivers Angels, who claimed the men’s and women’s titles in 2024, will look to defend their crowns against fierce competition.
Sport
Thierry Henry Criticises Taking Dressing Room Issues to the Press
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Sport
PSG Luis Enrique Shares Hope for the 2026 Ballon d’Or
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
Sport
Walid Acherchour Backs Lamine Yamal to Win 2026 Ballon d’Or
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
