The reported resignation of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau and several members of the federation’s Executive Committee has transformed what was already a difficult period for Nigerian football into a potentially defining leadership crisis.

Rather than being viewed only as another resignation within the country’s football administration, the development could have immediate consequences for the NFF’s transition to its next electoral cycle, with the federation’s executive committee election scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Reports on Thursday indicated that Gusau and a number of board members had stepped down amid mounting criticism of the federation’s handling of Nigerian football. However, the full details of the reported resignations and their formal implications remained unclear at the time of publication, with Gusau expected to address journalists in Abuja.

Why the resignations matter beyond Gusau

The most significant issue arising from the reported departures is not simply who leaves the NFF, but what happens to the federation’s decision-making structure in the weeks before its scheduled election.

The NFF had already published a detailed roadmap for the September election, including candidate screening, publication of cleared candidates and the campaign period. The reported exit of a large proportion of the 13-member Executive Committee could therefore introduce fresh uncertainty into a process that is already well underway.

The NFF’s electoral regulations also contain provisions dealing with continuity during the electoral process, meaning the reported resignations will need to be considered within the federation’s statutes and electoral framework rather than treated as an automatic collapse of the institution.

A crisis built over more than one result

The pressure on the Gusau administration has intensified following a succession of disappointing results involving Nigeria’s national teams.

The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons suffered a historic setback after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Falcons’ failure was particularly damaging because Nigeria had appeared at every previous edition of the Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991.

The NFF itself acknowledged the seriousness of the Falcons’ setback earlier this month, issuing an apology to Nigerians and President Bola Tinubu after the team failed to secure direct qualification.

The federation subsequently inaugurated a fact-finding committee to investigate the causes of Nigeria’s recent poor performances, with particular attention on the Super Falcons’ failure to reach the next Women’s World Cup.

Financial scrutiny adds another layer

The leadership crisis has also unfolded against the backdrop of reported scrutiny of the management of funds released for Nigeria’s national teams.

Reports have linked the situation to investigations into the utilisation of a N17 billion intervention fund approved by the Federal Government in 2024 to address outstanding payments, including players’ wages and bonuses.

The financial questions have increased the pressure for greater transparency and accountability within the federation, although the reported investigations and allegations should not be treated as proof of wrongdoing by any individual unless established by the relevant authorities.

The September election is now a central question

With the NFF election only weeks away, the reported resignations raise an important question: can the federation maintain a credible electoral process while dealing with a leadership vacuum?

The NFF announced in July that its 2026 Executive Committee election would be held in Lafia on September 27. Its published timetable provides for candidate screening from August 27 to 30, publication of cleared candidates on August 31 and a campaign period beginning September 14.

That timetable makes the timing of the reported resignations particularly significant.

Any disruption to the administration of the federation could create uncertainty for candidates, delegates and other stakeholders unless the NFF quickly clarifies who has authority to manage its affairs and how the electoral programme will proceed.

Nigerian football now needs clarity

The immediate priority for Nigerian football is therefore likely to be institutional clarity.

Stakeholders will want answers on the status of the reported resignations, the composition of the Executive Committee, the authority responsible for running the federation in the interim and whether the September election timetable remains unchanged.

The NFF has previously demonstrated that it has mechanisms for managing its structures during periods of transition. Its electoral code states that relevant bodies generally continue exercising their functions until the electoral process is completed, subject to the federation’s statutes and regulations.

The current situation will test those provisions.

For Nigerian football supporters, the bigger concern is no longer simply whether Gusau remains in office. It is whether the latest crisis can produce a credible reset of football administration without creating another period of uncertainty for the national teams.

If the reported resignations are formally confirmed, the NFF could be entering one of the most consequential transitions in its recent history — one in which the September election may determine not only who leads Nigerian football next, but also whether the federation can rebuild confidence after a turbulent period.

The post NFF Leadership Crisis: Gusau Exit Puts September Election and Nigerian Football’s Future Under Pressure appeared first on Alpha News Nigeria.

Victor Osimhen scored twice and provided an assist as Galatasaray thrashed Erzurum FK 4-0 in their Turkish Super Lig encounter on Friday night.

Roland Sallai gave the defending champions the lead in the 12th minute.

The visitors continued their dominance, with Osimhen setting up Yunus Akgün for Galatasaray’s second eight minutes later.

Osimhen got Okan Buruk’s side’s third goal of the game on the dot of 45 minutes.

The Nigeria international then netted the fourth 10 minutes from time, with Gabriel Sara providing the assist.

The 27-year-old was in action for the entire duration of the game.

Osimhen has now recorded four goals and one assist in two league appearances for the Yellow and Reds this season.

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Arsenal kicked off their Premier League title defence in spectacular fashion with a dominant 3-0 victory against newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta’s reigning champions put on a tactical masterclass to secure all three points.

New signing Christos Tzolis enjoyed a stellar league debut, heavily involving himself in the build-up to the opening goals.

Goal ScorersKai Havertz (15′): Smashed home a clinical low strike inside the box following a sharp cross from Riccardo Calafiori.

Bukayo Saka (23′): Tapped the ball into an empty net at the far post after Carl Rushworth parried Tzolis’ dangerous cross.

Martin Ødegaard (49′): Sealed the win just after the break with a scuffed effort that wrong-footed the keeper following brilliant interplay down the right flank.

The post PL champions Arsenal return in style with three goals against Coventry! appeared first on Alpha News Nigeria.

The NFF Executive Committee has asked members of the Super Falcons’ technical crew to step down with immediate effect.

Reports suggest that Coach Madugu resigned earlier today, hence the extended notice to remaining member of the technical crew.

This should not end here. The technical crew must take responsibility, but there also needs to be an honest review of the entire project, preparation, selection, administration, support and accountability.

Changing the coach without fixing the system only resChanging the coach without fixing the system only resets the cycle.

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Nigeria’s anger is understandable.

The Super Falcons have suffered a historic setback. For the first time since the Women’s World Cup began in 1991, Nigeria will miss the tournament after a 2–1 defeat to South Africa ended their route to Brazil 2027.

There should be accountability, and Coach Justin Madugu should be part of that conversation. His tactics, selections, substitutions and preparation deserve serious critique.

But the conversation should not stop with him.

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗴𝘂

The same Madugu now facing intense anger also led Nigeria to the 2024 WAFCON title last year, after taking charge less than two months before the tournament.

Nigeria came from two goals down to beat Morocco 3–2 and win a record-extending 10th African title.

That does not make him immune from critique or guarantee that he should remain coach. But it demands consistency.

When Nigeria won, the players received much of the praise. When Nigeria lost, the coach became the overwhelming target.

Success is collective. Failure should be examined collectively too.

𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽

Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana were among the four semi-finalists at the previous WAFCON.

At WAFCON 2026, none of them reached the semi-finals. Morocco, Cameroon, Algeria and Malawi did.

Women’s football in Africa is growing. Investment is increasing. Coaching is improving. The competitive gap is narrowing.

Nigeria has to grow with the game.

𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

Fans have every right to question Madugu, the players and the NFF.

But critique should not become abuse.

Sometimes critics feel like small gods after a defeat because they can say, “I told you so.”

But predicting failure is not the same as understanding it.

The real question is not “Who was right?”

It is “Why did this happen, and what needs to change?”

If Madugu leaves tomorrow, Nigeria will still need better preparation, stronger international friendlies, improved player development, better technical support and a clearer long-term plan.

Changing the coach is not the same thing as changing the system.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

The Super Falcons have won 10 WAFCON titles and represented Nigeria at every Women’s World Cup until now.

They deserve serious, sustained investment.

Better preparation. Better facilities. Better friendlies. Better player welfare. Better sports science. Better domestic development.

We cannot demand equality on the scoreboard while accepting inequality in preparation.

This failure should be a turning point.

Don’t attack the players unfairly.

Don’t attack the coach unfairly.

But don’t shield anyone from legitimate critique either.

African women’s football is growing.

Nigeria cannot afford to stand still.

Full detailed article in above

The post 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀’ 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝗜𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗴𝘂 appeared first on Alpha News Nigeria.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria have lost their chance to secure an automatic ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

Myriam Maéva Nyadjou Wamen scored the decisive goal in the 19th minute at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, sending the Indomitable Lionesses into the semi-finals.

The Super Falcons dominated large spells of the match, particularly in the latter stages, but were unable to find an equaliser as Cameroon held on for a crucial victory.

The defeat ended Nigeria’s defence of the WAFCON title and denied the reigning champions an automatic place at next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Nigeria had been seeking a record-extending 10th appearance at the Women’s World Cup and entered the quarter-final as defending African champions.

Cameroon will now face hosts Morocco in the WAFCON semi-finals after Morocco defeated South Africa 2-1 in their quarter-final.

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Nigeria’s Super Falcons head into the knockout stage of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with far more than the defence of their continental crown at stake.

The reigning African champions face Cameroon in a crucial quarter-final in Morocco on Sunday, with a place in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil also within reach.

For head coach Justine Madugu, the challenge is to ensure Nigeria can handle the pressure of a match that could determine both their WAFCON ambitions and their immediate World Cup future.

Super Falcons have two targets in Morocco

Nigeria arrived at the tournament with two major objectives: retain the WAFCON title and qualify for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Super Falcons are the most successful team in the history of the competition, having won the continental title 10 times.

Their latest triumph came in 2025, when they defeated hosts Morocco to claim a record-extending 10th crown.

However, their status as defending champions does not guarantee an easy route to another final.

The expanded 2026 tournament has increased the number of teams competing for continental supremacy, while the knockout stage leaves little room for mistakes.

Cameroon stands between Nigeria and the next stage

Nigeria’s quarter-final opponent, Cameroon, represents one of the most experienced teams in African women’s football.

The Indomitable Lionesses reached the last eight after finishing top of their group, setting up a heavyweight encounter with the defending champions.

Cameroon will see the fixture as an opportunity to eliminate one of the tournament favourites, while Nigeria know that any lapse could bring their title defence to an abrupt end.

The winner will advance to the semi-finals and secure a direct ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Madugu knows the stakes

Madugu has acknowledged the importance of the encounter and believes his players understand what is at stake.

The coach has also indicated that Nigeria must improve as the competition moves into its decisive phase.

That improvement will be particularly important against Cameroon, a side capable of making the game physical and testing Nigeria’s defensive organisation.

Madugu’s approach to squad management has also attracted attention, with the coach explaining his rotation strategy as he attempts to keep his players fresh during the tournament.

A difficult road to another title

The Super Falcons have not had a completely straightforward tournament.

Nigeria suffered a 3-2 defeat to Malawi in the group stage before recovering and securing their place in the quarter-finals.

The setback served as a warning that Nigeria cannot rely solely on their historical dominance to progress.

Their performance against Cameroon will therefore be closely watched, particularly in areas such as defensive concentration, chance conversion and the ability to control the game under pressure.

World Cup qualification adds another layer of pressure

The World Cup qualification aspect could make the Cameroon clash particularly tense.

For Nigeria, reaching the semi-finals would accomplish an important objective even before the team begins thinking about another WAFCON final.

A defeat, on the other hand, would end the title defence and leave their hopes of reaching the 2027 World Cup in serious jeopardy.

That makes Sunday’s encounter effectively a qualification final for the Super Falcons.

Nigeria’s experience could prove decisive

Despite the challenges, Nigeria possess considerable tournament experience.

Several members of the squad have played at major international tournaments, while the team has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to handle pressure on the continental stage.

Captain Rasheedat Ajibade and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie are among the players expected to provide leadership as Nigeria attempt to navigate the knockout stage.

Nnadozie previously described the team’s objectives as securing the World Cup ticket while retaining the WAFCON trophy, stressing that the players cannot afford to become complacent at any stage.

Cameroon clash could define Nigeria’s campaign

The Super Falcons entered Morocco as defending champions and one of the leading contenders for the trophy.

But the Cameroon quarter-final represents the point at which reputation must give way to performance.

Victory would send Nigeria into the semi-finals, secure their place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and keep their pursuit of an 11th WAFCON title alive.

Defeat would produce a very different outcome.

For Madugu and his players, Sunday’s contest is therefore not simply another knockout match.

It is the game that could determine whether Nigeria’s 2026 WAFCON campaign becomes another chapter in the Super Falcons’ history of dominance or a reminder that defending a continental crown is often harder than winning it in the first place.

The post WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons Face Cameroon in High-Stakes Battle for World Cup Ticket appeared first on Alpha News Nigeria.

Victor Osimhen is open to joining Tottenham, according to reports.

Spurs are looking for a new striker this summer as Roberto De Zerbi aims to improve his forward line and Richarlison ponders a possible exit.

Reports on Sunday claimed that Osimhen is a new name on Spurs’ transfer wishlist.

Osimhen has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, and was most notably tracked by Chelsea two years ago before transfer talks broke down in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Now at Galatasaray, Osimhen is said to be keen on a move to the Premier League and Caught Offside report that personal terms would not be an issue with the player open to join Spurs.

Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur claims Tottenham have made their first move to sign Osimhen by making an opening offer worth between £50million and £55m.

Galatasaray want closer to £65m to sell the 27-year-old.

It remains to be seen if Spurs are interested in Osimhen, but a new striker is expected to be on De Zerbi agenda for the final weeks of the transfer window.

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Argentina take on their rivals on Wednesday, live on talkSPORT, for a spot in the World Cup final – and until now, Messi had never had the chance to face the Three Lions.

Why Messi has never played against England

The eight-time Ballon d’Or-winning Argentina captain should have gone toe-to-toe with England some 21 years ago, but he wasn’t able to, as talkSPORT’s Max Scott explained.

Messi had just burst onto the scene at the time of Argentina’s November 2005 friendly against England in Geneva – but a disastrous debut prevented him from making what would have been his second senior appearance for his country.

Speaking to Shebahn Aherne on the talkSPORT World Cup Breakfast, Scott said: “Over 15 years and 35 matches against English opposition, Messi’s scored 27 times.

“So naturally, there’s a fear amongst England fans about the threat he poses.

“But as you say, he’s never played against the England national team. There are two reasons for this.

The first is when England last played Argentina in a friendly in 2005, Messi was suspended because three months earlier he was sent off just 47 seconds into his international debut.

“In that game against Hungary, he came off the bench, went on one of those trademark mazy, Maradona-esque runs – a signpost for the future – but when trying to escape the clutches of an angry Hungary defender, he kind of lashed out.

“The referee sent him off – I think harshly, but that meant he played no part in the friendly three months after when England won 3-2.”

Wayne Rooney scored the first goal for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Three Lions that night, with Michael Owen’s late brace sealing a thrilling victory.

England haven’t scheduled another friendly against Argentina since then – and there’s a good explanation for that, certainly in recent years.

The post Lionel Messi forced to miss England clash after FIFA suspension ruled superstar out appeared first on Alpha News Nigeria.

Sources have told the Guardian that Trump made three calls to Fifa, starting from Wednesday, to ensure that the change was made.

The decision gives the US a huge boost on the field as they attempt to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002. Balogun has been a constant threat for the US so far this tournament, and has scored three goals in three starts.

Fifa has been approached for comment. The US president thanked football’s world governing body for suspending the red card. “Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Fifa’s disciplinary committee said it made the decision in line with Article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code, which allows it to suspend red cards so long as the discipline is not related to match-fixing. Balogun will be on a probationary period of one year, meaning the red card technically still remains on his record. If, during that year, Balogun commits what the code refers to as “another infringement of a similar nature and gravity”, the striker will serve his one-game ban.

Fifa previously used Article 27 to clear Cristiano Ronaldo to start the opening games of Portugal’s World Cup after his red card against the Republic of Ireland

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said in a statement that it was “astonished” at the decision. The RBFA later pointed out that the suspension of the ban ran in contradiction to Fifa statutes governing the punishment for red cards, which carry a one-game ban “automatically”. The RBFA said it was “investigating all potential options”.

Manager Rudi Garcia likened Fifa’s decision to an April Fools’ Day joke.

“I didn’t know that 5 July was equal to 1 April [April Fools’ Day] at Fifa,” Garcia said in his native French at a news conference on Sunday. “I think we should refer to the [statement] of my federation, the Belgian federation. I think a lot of things are in it. The federation does not defend itself, it does not defend the national team – it defends football in general. It defends its integrity. It defends its ethics.”

A US Soccer spokesperson said on Sunday that the federation was engaged in the process that ended up clearing Balogun for the last-16 game.

Mauricio Pochettino praised Fifa’s move in a news conference, reiterating his belief that the call to issue a red card to Balogun was harsh.

Everyone that really loves the sport and trusts ethics and integrity, I think we celebrate all that decision,” Pochettino said. “We were punished enough against Bosnia Herzegovina to play with 10 men for 30 minutes [because of] a decision that was completely unfair. … 99.9% of people agree there was an unfair red card.”

US players said they received news of Balogun’s availability on the team bus on the way to training.

“Some guys are playing Clash Royale, some guys were just in the back listening music, and then think somewhere in between that, we heard all the reports,” the defender Chris Richards said. “My family probably sent me eight tweets. I wasn’t sure, nobody told us ahead of time that this was happening. We weren’t quite sure if it was true or not. I think everyone knows with AI and with this and that, there can be a few question marks, but ultimately we found out through social media. It was just cool to finally get the confirmation that it was true.”

Richards said that about 10 minutes passed between the moment when the US players first started getting reports of Balogun’s availability, and getting official confirmation from a US Soccer official by the time they got off the bus for Sunday’s training session – the final one before the all-important Belgium matchup.

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