By Samuel Adeola

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have risen to 26th in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings following their impressive outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Nigeria moved up 12 places, its highest ranking in 16 years after finishing third at the tournament. The Eagles played seven matches during the ranking period, recording six wins and one defeat.

Their AFCON campaign featured a 4-0 round-of-16 victory over Mozambique, a 2-0 quarter-final win against Algeria, and a semi-final loss to hosts Morocco on penalties after a goalless draw. Nigeria later defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties, following another 0-0 draw, to clinch the bronze medal.

FIFA said Nigeria gained 79.09 points, the biggest increase in the latest update. Morocco climbed to eighth, Senegal rose to 12th after winning the title, while Spain retained top spot ahead of Argentina and France.

By Onyeanya Immaculata

The rehabilitation of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, is expected to gulp ₦24.642bn from the ₦203.603bn allocated to the National Sports Commission (NSC), in the 2026 appropriation bill.

The allocation is part of Nigeria’s expanded 2026 sports budget, which rose by about 300 per cent from ₦78bn in 2025, following President Bola Tinubu’s presentation of a ₦58.18tn “Budget of Restoration” to the National Assembly.

The increased funding targets infrastructure renewal, athlete development and participation in major international competitions.

Budget details show that ₦18.775bn is earmarked for the first phase of rehabilitation of the stadium’s main bowl, ₦5.8bn for the completion of a high-performance centre, and ₦65m for internet bandwidth via fibre optic and LAN/WAN connectivity at the stadium and other national sports facilities.

An additional ₦15.5bn is proposed for the construction of a sports secretariat within the complex.

NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, has said work on the stadium is expected to begin before the end of 2025 as part of efforts to revive Nigeria’s sports infrastructure.

Opened in 2003, the Abuja stadium has struggled to meet standards for hosting major fixtures, despite a renovation between 2020 and 2022.

The pitch deteriorated shortly after the upgrade, forcing the Super Eagles to move home matches to Uyo. Nigeria last played at the venue in March 2023, losing 1–0 to Guinea-Bissau.

Built at a cost of about $360m, the 60,491-capacity stadium hosted the 8th African Games and remains Nigeria’s flagship sports facility.

The NSC’s 2026 budget also provides ₦4.223bn for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, ₦5.105bn for preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games, ₦1bn for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and ₦14.2bn for Nigeria’s participation in AFCON, WAFCON and other FIFA competitions.

By Samuel Adeola

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned the conduct of some Senegal players and officials following chaotic scenes during the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco on Sunday.

Several Senegal players walked off the pitch late in normal time to protest a penalty awarded to Morocco after a VAR review for a foul on Brahim Diaz. The match was still goalless at the time.

Infantino described the action as “unacceptable,” insisting that leaving the field of play in protest undermines the integrity of football. He also warned that violence and disorder have no place in the sport.

Tensions had already risen after a Senegal goal was ruled out moments earlier, a decision many players disputed. While most of the team left the pitch, Sadio Mane remained and attempted to persuade his teammates to return.

The situation escalated as some Senegal supporters tried to access the pitch, leading to clashes with security officials and a delay of nearly 20 minutes. When play resumed, Diaz’s penalty was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Senegal eventually secured a 1-0 victory through a Pape Gueye goal in extra time.

Despite the controversy, Infantino praised Morocco for hosting a successful tournament but stressed the need for teams to respect match officials’ decisions, adding that CAF is expected to take appropriate disciplinary action.