Sports
Wakama names D’Tigress squad for FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers
Players named in the squad include Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Blessing Ejiofor, Nicole Enabosi and Ifunnaya Okoro.
Others on the roster are Pallas Kunayi-Akpannah, Victoria Macaulay, Sarah Ogoke, Murjanatu Musa and Rita Igbokwe.
Photo: D’Tigress
D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama has named her final 12-player squad for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Villeurbanne, France.
The qualifying tournament will run from March 11 to 17, with Nigeria set to face France, the Philippines, Colombia, Germany and South Korea during the series.
Wakama has largely retained the core of players who powered D’Tigress to their historic continental dominance.
Eleven members of the squad were part of the team that defeated Mali women’s national basketball team in Abidjan to secure a fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title, reinforcing Nigeria’s status as the dominant force in African women’s basketball.
The final squad was selected from a 17-player provisional list released on February 25 as preparations intensified for the qualifiers.
Players named in the squad include Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Blessing Ejiofor, Nicole Enabosi and Ifunnaya Okoro.
Others on the roster are Pallas Kunayi-Akpannah, Victoria Macaulay, Sarah Ogoke, Murjanatu Musa and Rita Igbokwe.
Nigeria will open their campaign against Colombia on March 11 before facing South Korea the following day. D’Tigress will then meet the Philippines on March 14 after a two-day break, followed by a clash against hosts France on March 15. The team will conclude their fixtures against Germany on March 17.
(Source: Business Day)
Sports
Barcelona extends Christensen contract by two-years
Christensen has played 98 times for Barca, winning three La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey among other trophies.
FC Barcelona have extended Danish defender Andreas Christensen’s contract until June 2028, the Spanish champions said Wednesday.
The 30-year-old centre-back, whose previous deal expired at the end of June, has been frequently sidelined by injuries during his time at Camp Nou.
The defender has accepted a significant pay cut to stay at the club, according to Spanish reports.
The Denmark international played a key part in Barcelona’s La Liga triumph in his debut campaign at the club in 2022 after arriving from Chelsea.
Christensen has played 98 times for Barca, winning three La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey among other trophies.
Sports
Nigerian Emenalo steps down as Saudi Pro League football chief
Reflecting on his tenure in a statement to The Athletic, Emenalo described the league’s transformation as an “audacious ambition” that many initially believed was unattainable.
Former Super Eagles defender and Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo has stepped down as the Saudi Pro League’s chief football executive.
The Saudi Pro League confirmed on Tuesday that Emenalo, who also headed the league’s Player Acquisition Center of Excellence (PACE), will leave at the expiration of his contract after joining the organisation in 2023.
In a statement, the Saudi Pro League thanked Emenalo for his contributions and wished him success in his future endeavours.
Reflecting on his tenure in a statement to The Athletic, Emenalo described the league’s transformation as an “audacious ambition” that many initially believed was unattainable.
“When I joined SPL’s transformation journey in 2023, what struck me most was the audacity of its ambition. We set out to do something few believed possible, on a timeline fewer still thought realistic,” he said.
He added that his team had established the structures and standards needed to sustain the league’s long-term growth.
Sports
Two Dead In World Cup Celebrations In Mexico City
The celebrations came after Mexico beat Ecuador to record their first World Cup knockout win since 1986, sending the co-hosts into the round of 16.
• Mexican fans gather to watch the FIFA World Cup round of 32 football match between Mexico and Ecuador at the Fan Fest in Guadalajara, state of Jalisco, Mexico, on June 30, 2026. (Photo by Ulises RUIZ / AFP)
At least two people died on Wednesday during massive celebrations in Mexico City as the national team advanced to the next round at the World Cup
Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 to break a 40-year World Cup knockout on Tuesday, sending the co-hosts into the round of 16.
A 19-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man died of asphyxiation, according to the city’s health ministry.
Authorities have not confirmed the death of a third person, reported by local media.
More than a million people gathered in the streets of Mexico City, mainly around the Angel of Independence monument, according to estimates by the city government.
In a supercharged atmosphere, Julian Quinones gave Mexico a deserved lead midway through the first half with a thunderous strike and then turned provider for Raul Jimenez.
Mexico had not won a World Cup knockout game since 1986, when they last hosted the tournament.
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