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Flying Eagles of Nigeria Begins Hunt For Maiden World Cup Against Dominican Republic

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The Flying Eagles of Nigeria has begun their hunt for a first U-20 World Cup trophy when they face the Dominican Republic in their opening fixture at the 2023 edition of the tournament.

Nigeria have reached the final of the age-grade competition twice – in 1989 and 2005 – and will be aiming to take it a step further when Sunday’s clash begins at the Estadio Malvinas Argentina in Mendoza.

En route to the championship, Nigeria finished third at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and are among four teams to represent the continent in the South American nation.

The Africans are favourite against Walter Benítez’s side and know that a win over them will place Nigeria in good stead to qualify from a Group D that includes Brazil and Italy.

Although Nigeria have played 13 times in the competition against their rivals who are making their debut, Coach Ladan Bosso admits that the clash won’t be an easy game. He, however, believes the Pre-Tournament season have infused confidence in the squad.

“As I stated earlier, we are happy with the results from the two friendly matches we played in Buenos Aires,” the NFF quoted him as saying.

“We won one against an Argentina club and then drew with the Colombia U20 team that’s also taking part in this tournament. Those are not bad results.

“More than anything else, what the results have done is give us confidence that we can get the job done. Victory over the Dominican Republic on Sunday will stabilise our winning mentality.

“It is a factor that matters in championships and that is why we are determined to win on Sunday.”

Italy-based Victor Eletu, who later teamed up with the squad, is expected to provide much-needed depth to the Flying Eagles’ side.

Nigeria is likely to parade the Chijioke Aniagbosos in goal with Daniel Bameyi, Abel Ogwuche, Benjamin Frederick, and Solomon Agbalaka at the back.

Ibrahim Muhammad, Samson Lawal, and Jude Sunday are expected to be picked for the fixture.

Time for Nigeria vs Dominican Republic U-20 Match

https://twitter.com/CAF_Online/status/1660317880481722368?s=20

Nigeria’s game against Dominican Republic at the U-20 World Cup 2023 will begin at 7:00 pm (WAT).

After the match, the Flying Eagles’ next tie is against Italy on May 24 before they take on Brazil three days later.

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FIFA proposes one‑minute off‑field rule for injured players

If approved, the measure would be incorporated into football’s global rulebook.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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