Sports
BREAKING: CAF delists Nigeria, Libya AFCON qualifier amidst controversy
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially delisted the Group D second-leg fixture of the ongoing 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Mediterranean Knights of Libya.
The match was originally scheduled to take place in Libya at 8 p.m. following the first leg, which saw the Super Eagles triumph over the Mediterranean Knights with a narrow 1-0 victory at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday.
The return leg has been mired in controversy, primarily due to the harrowing experience faced by the Super Eagles players and officials, who reported being stranded at the Libya airport for over 14 hours.
The ordeal ultimately led to their decision to return home rather than participate in the scheduled match.
In light of the situation, CAF has launched an investigation into the incident after the Libya Football Federation accused Nigeria of sabotage and threatened legal action.
The African football governing body further updated its schedule for games to be played on Tuesday, notably excluding the Libya versus Nigeria fixture from the list.
Meanwhile, the President of the Libyan Football Federation, Abdelhakim Al-Shalmani, has announced his resignation during a regular meeting of the Federation’s General Assembly.
Al-Shalmani’s resignation comes amid growing tension regarding the treatment of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, during their recent trip to Libya for a crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
Sports
FIFA proposes one‑minute off‑field rule for injured players
If approved, the measure would be incorporated into football’s global rulebook.
FIFA on Monday proposed a new rule that would require players who receive on-field medical treatment to remain off the pitch for at least one minute.
BBC Sport reported that the proposal which is aimed at reducing time-wasting on the pitch, will be discussed during the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board, the body responsible for the Laws of the Game.
If approved, the measure would be incorporated into football’s global rulebook.
At present, the Laws of the Game do not specify a mandatory period that injured players must stay off the field after treatment. Domestic competitions are allowed to implement their own guidelines.
Sports
48 nations to compete as FIFA releases schedule for Series 2026
Twelve groups of four teams each—nine men’s groups and three women’s groups—will compete, hosted by 11 FIFA Member Associations.
FIFA has released the full match schedule for the FIFA Series 2026, the expanded edition of its international friendly tournament, which will bring together 48 national teams from all six confederations.
The fixtures, published on the association’s website on Monday, are scheduled for the March and April 2026 international match window.
Twelve groups of four teams each—nine men’s groups and three women’s groups—will compete, hosted by 11 FIFA Member Associations.
Rwanda will stage two groups, while other hosts include Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Thailand, and Uzbekistan.
All matches are official international friendlies and will be broadcast globally, providing fans worldwide with access and giving participating teams valuable exposure, particularly for those that rarely face opponents from other confederations.
According to FIFA, participating Member Associations have chosen their preferred competition formats within each group, either a semi-final and final structure.
Sports
FIFA commits $75m to rebuild war-damaged football facilities in Gaza
According to FIFA, the initiative includes plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of mini-pitches across Gaza.
The world football governing body, FIFA, has announced plans to mobilise $75 million to rebuild football facilities in Gaza destroyed during the war between Israel and Hamas.
The announcement was made on Thursday during the inaugural meeting of the “Board of Peace,” convened in Washington by U.S. President Donald Trump. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also attended the meeting, which focused primarily on reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
Trump disclosed that FIFA would help raise “a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza,” noting that the initiative would include football-related investments such as playing fields and high-profile visits by global football stars.
“I’m also pleased to announce that FIFA will be helping to raise a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza,” Trump said, adding that the projects would centre on building fields and attracting some of the sport’s biggest names.
According to FIFA, the initiative includes plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of mini-pitches across Gaza.
The first phase will prioritise building small-sided fields within three to six months, while the proposed stadium is expected to take between 18 and 36 months to complete.
FIFA also confirmed plans to help establish youth and amateur leagues as part of the long-term development strategy.
Infantino described the agreement as “a landmark partnership” designed to channel investment into football, supporting recovery efforts in post-conflict areas.
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