Bold Sports Weekly | Edition 006

Hello,

Last Friday, we said we would not present speculation as fact.

Reports claimed that the NFF election had been cancelled and the federation’s leadership could be replaced. None of the institutions involved had confirmed it.

We ended the edition with a simple demand: Nigerian football cannot be governed through leaks.

One week later, the uncertainty has become reality.

Ibrahim Gusau has resigned as NFF president. Mohammed Sanusi has left his position as General Secretary. The Executive Committee is gone, the September election has been suspended and Emmanuel Ikpeme has been asked to oversee the Secretariat.

The changes also extend to the NPFL, NNL, NWFL and Nationwide League One, where chairmen, directors and chief executive officers have been ordered to hand administration to the leagues’ chief operating officers.

While the facts are finally on the record, the answers are not.

That was not the only major change in Nigerian sport this week.

Masai Russell ran 12.09 seconds in Zurich to break Tobi Amusan’s four-year-old world record in the women’s 100m hurdles. Amusan finished second in 12.23 seconds.

Elsewhere, two Nigerian teenagers secured the country’s place in the women’s beach-volleyball competition at the 2028 Olympics, Edo Queens reached the WAFU-B semifinals and the NPFL secured a new title sponsor before the start of its season.

There is plenty to unpack.

Welcome to Edition 006.

Let’s get into it.

Thursday’s resignations removed the president, General Secretary and entire Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation.

Emmanuel Ikpeme has been appointed interim General Secretary to oversee the Secretariat. The election scheduled for September 27 has also been suspended until after a proposed reform process involving FIFA, CAF, the Federal Government and other stakeholders.

That keeps the federation functioning. It does not answer every question about who now has the authority to make major decisions.

The NFF statutes describe the Congress as the federation’s supreme body, the Executive Committee as its strategic and oversight body, and the Secretariat as its administrative arm.

They also state that when more than half of the Executive Committee positions become vacant, the General Secretary should convene an Extraordinary Congress.

With the entire board gone, that Congress will have an important role in determining what happens next. FIFA and CAF must also be involved if the reform is to avoid concerns about government interference.

The resignations have created an opportunity to change Nigerian football.

The way the transition is handled will determine whether that opportunity produces reform or simply another leadership contest.

Esther Onyinye Mbah and Pamela Miyoum Bawa have qualified Nigeria for the women’s beach-volleyball event at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The pair defeated Morocco in the African final in Alexandria to secure Nigeria’s first Olympic place in the sport. Mbah is 19. Bawa is only 15.

Nigeria opened the second round of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers with a 78-62 defeat to Cameroon in Radès.

D’Tigers shot only 24 per cent from the field and 17.4 per cent from three. The defeat leaves Nigeria with a 4-3 record ahead of their remaining games against South Sudan and Cape Verde.

Nigeria’s World Cup preparation has entered a more difficult phase after defeats to Spain and Belgium in Tenerife.

D’Tigress lost 83-58 to Spain before Belgium beat them 90-55 the following day. Reports earlier in the week said head coach Rena Wakama was yet to join the camp because of her commitments with Chicago Sky.

The World Cup begins next Friday.

Falconets captain Joy Igbokwe and Faridat Abdulwahab have been replaced in Nigeria’s World Cup squad after being denied visas to Poland.

Vivian Kachi and Alaba Olabiyi have joined the team in their places. The Falconets are now in Poland and will face the hosts on Friday before playing South Korea on Tuesday.

Oluwatosin Demehin has signed a three-year contract with Portuguese champions Benfica following her departure from Galatasaray.

Her arrival comes as Christy Ucheibe begins a new chapter with Al Hilal. Ucheibe leaves Benfica after six seasons, 179 appearances and six consecutive league titles.

Edo Queens have booked their place in the semifinals of the WAFU-B Women’s Champions League qualifiers after winning their opening two matches.

The Nigerian champions followed a 7-0 victory over AS GNN with a 3-1 win against ASEC Mimosas. They have scored ten goals and conceded once ahead of Sunday’s final group match against Ampem Darkoa.

Nigeria lost 3-0 to Cameroon in their final group match at the African Women’s Volleyball Championship in Nairobi.

The team completed the group stage with one victory and two defeats, having beaten Ghana 3-2 after losing their opening match to Tunisia.

Masai Russell ran 12.09 seconds in Zurich to break the women’s 100m hurdles world record Tobi Amusan had held since 2022.

Amusan finished second in 12.23 seconds, her fastest time of the season. Her former world record of 12.12 seconds remains the African record.

Semi Ajayi opened the scoring as Hull City defeated Manchester United 2-0 on their return to the Premier League.

The defender also helped Hull keep a clean sheet in their first top-flight victory over United since 1974.

Samuel Chukwueze provided the assist for Adrien Rabiot’s goal as AC Milan began their Serie A season with a 2-1 victory away to Torino.

The Nigerian created four chances and has now contributed three assists in his last four league appearances.

Victor Osimhen contributed two goals and an assist as Galatasaray recorded a 4-0 victory over Erzurumspor.

The striker has now scored four goals in his first two league matches of the season

Arthur Okonkwo produced eight saves as Charlton Athletic defeated West Ham United 2-1 at the London Stadium.

The performance came only days after the Nigerian goalkeeper joined Charlton on loan from Wrexham.

Cyriel Dessers came off the bench to score twice, including a 125th-minute penalty, as Panathinaikos beat Hradec Králové 2-1 and reached the Conference League phase.

Tolu Arokodare also scored twice on his first Ajax start as the Dutch club defeated Sion 5-3. He has three goals and two assists since joining the club.

The order affecting Nigeria’s domestic leagues received less attention than the NFF resignations, but its consequences are immediate.

The NPFL was preparing to begin a new season when its appointed leadership was directed to hand over the administration of the competition.

That instruction came one day after the league announced a three-year, $7.5 million title-sponsorship agreement with EuroMatch.

There is no indication that the opening weekend has been cancelled. Shooting Stars and Inter Lagos are still expected to begin the season in Ibadan today.

The NFF Secretariat must now confirm who represents the league in its relationship with the new sponsor, who authorises payments to clubs and whether existing commercial decisions remain unchanged.

The season can begin during a leadership transition.

It should not begin without clarity about who is administering it.

Applications are open for the World Aquatics Athlete Career Transition Mentorship Programme.

The programme pairs eligible elite aquatic athletes with mentors who can help them explore career options, prepare CVs, improve interview skills and plan for life beyond competition.

Meetings take place online, with at least six one-to-one sessions across the programme.

Applications close on 7 September 2026.

Nigeria begin their final World Cup preparation matches against the tournament hosts.

Nigeria’s winning run ended with a 78-62 defeat to Cameroon in the opening match of the second qualifying round.

D’Tigers now face South Sudan before completing the window against Cape Verde.

The 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League season begins with a South-West derby in Ibadan.

The remaining opening-weekend fixtures will be played on Sunday.

Edo Queens have already secured a place in the WAFU-B semifinals. Their final group match will determine their position in the standings.

Nigeria will discover their next opponent as the African Women’s Volleyball Championship moves into the knockout stage in Nairobi.

The top three teams at the tournament will qualify for the 2027 World Cup.

Victor Osimhen’s Galatasaray will face PSG, Barcelona and Aston Villa, while Ademola Lookman and Atletico Madrid have drawn Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United.

The draw also produces several Nigerian meetings. Raphael Onyedika’s Stuttgart will face Galatasaray and Atletico, while Zaidu Sanusi’s Porto meet Slavia Prague and Moses Usor’s LASK.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru has suffered a first-degree flexor strain in his right thigh while playing for Lazio.

The midfielder is expected to be out for between 15 and 20 days, leaving his availability for Nigeria’s opening 2027 AFCON qualifiers uncertain.

Taiwo Awoniyi scored and provided an assist as Coventry City defeated Plymouth Argyle 4-2 in the Carabao Cup.

Frank Lampard said the performance showed the qualities Coventry signed him for, although the striker is still working towards full match fitness.

Nigeria have received a bye into the second round of the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Olympic Eagles will face either Mauritania or DR Congo in November. The tournament will also determine Africa’s representatives at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Nigeria will face Ghana in the second round of qualification for the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations.

The first leg will be played between October 9 and 11, with the return match scheduled for the following week.

Tobi Amusan arrived in Zurich as the fastest woman in the history of the 100m hurdles.

She left without the world record. Masai Russell ran 12.09 seconds, becoming the first woman to break 12.10s legally. Amusan finished second in 12.23.

She was gracious afterwards.

“Competing in a world record race is amazing. I came here and I did my best and I am happy with this SB,” Amusan said after the race.

For four years, Amusan’s 12.12 seconds stood as the world record. It made her the first Nigerian to hold an athletics world record and announced what became Nigeria’s first World Championship title later that night in Eugene.

Her 12.12 seconds remains the African record. The world record now belongs to Russell.

The history Amusan made still belongs to her.

We will be back next Friday.

Oluwatosin Oluwalowo
Editor-in-Chief
Bold Sports

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