Sports
World Cup 2026: MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to host World Cup final on 19 July

MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host the 2026 World Cup final on 19 July, while Azteca Stadium in Mexico City will stage the opening group game on 11 June.

Mexico is one of three countries co-hosting the expanded 48-team tournament along with USA and Canada which will last a record 39 days.
They have hosted two World Cups in 1970 and 1986, while the US hosted in 1994.
Canada are first-time hosts and their opening game is in Toronto on 12 June.
The United States will play their opening match at So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles also on 12 June
The Azteca was the venue for Argentina striker Diego Maradona’s famous ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 2-1 win against England in the 1986 quarter-finals and has a capacity of 83,000.
MetLife Stadium, home to American football teams the New York Giants and New York Jets, is based in New Jersey’s East Rutherford and can hold 82,500 fans. It was one of the host stadiums for the 1994 World Cup.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino, alongside comedian and actor Kevin Hart, rapper Drake and celebrity Kim Kardashian, announced the plans on Sunday and also revealed the third-place play-off match will take place in Miami.
The quarter-finals onwards will be held in US cities, with Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami and Boston hosting last-eight matches, while the semi-finals will be in Dallas and Atlanta. Dallas will host a record nine matches.
The draw for the World Cup is expected to take place towards the end of 2025.
The tournament will last 10 more days than the 2022 edition in Qatar.
In total, 16 cities have been chosen including Monterrey and Guadalajara in Mexico, and Vancouver in Canada.
Philadelphia, Houston, Seattle and San Francisco are the other US host cities.
Only one city, Guadalajara, will not host a knockout game.
Teams are likely to face a large amount of travel between games.
The shortest distance between a quarter-final and a semi-final venue is just over 500 miles from Kansas City to Dallas while the longest – between Los Angeles and Atlanta – is just under 2,200 miles.
Infantino said “players and fans have been at the core of our extensive planning for this game-changing tournament” and it will be a tournament that will “not only set new records but also leave an indelible legacy”.
Fifa said the schedule was drawn up in consultation with stakeholders including national team coaches and technical directors.
The governing body says teams will have three days of rest for 103 of the tournament’s record 104 matches.
“The tournament’s innovative match schedule will serve to minimise travel for teams and fans alike, while the number of rest days between fixtures will be maximised,” the governing body said.
The new format will feature 12 four-team groups and a last-32 knockout round for the first time.
The tournament hosts will play the group stage in their own countries, with the US staying on the West Coast with two games in LA and one in Seattle.
Canada will play one group stage game in Toronto followed by two in Vancouver while Mexico will play twice at the Azteca and once in Guadalajara.
Sports
Benue Governor Alia dissolves Lobi Stars FC board
The decision is aimed at repositioning the club for greater efficiency, accountability, and better performance in both the Nigeria Premier Football League and other competitions.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has dissolved the Board and Management of the state-owned Lobi Stars FC, Makurdi.
Lobi Stars FC were relegated last season after a 27-year stay in the Nigeria Premier Football League, following a run of poor performances.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, announced the governor’s approval of the dissolution in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to journalists in Makurdi.
The move was described as part of ongoing reforms to reposition the club for “greater efficiency, accountability, and better performance” in the Nigeria Premier Football League and other competitions.
The decision is aimed at repositioning the club for greater efficiency, accountability, and better performance in both the Nigeria Premier Football League and other competitions,” the statement read.
Governor Alia directed that “all members of the dissolved management should hand over all official documents, assets, and responsibilities to the Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Creativity with immediate effect.”
Sports
Davido Chairs Osun Sports Trust Fund
“Davido has been appointed to chair the Sports Trust Fund, and he did not hesitate in accepting the appointment. His intervention would attract funds that would impact Osun sports positively.”

•Davido and Osun Governor, Ademola Adeleke. Photo Credit: X
The Osun State Government has appointed Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, as chairman of the Osun Sports Trust Fund.
The government said that the move was aimed at raising funds to transform the state sports sector.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to completing the ongoing renovation and rehabilitation of the Osogbo Township Stadium, assuring that the upgraded facility will meet Olympic standards upon completion.
The Guardian Nigeria reports that the state deputy governor, Kola Adewusi, who doubles as the Commissioner for Sports, said the state government under Governor Ademola Adeleke is determined to transform the stadium into a world-class sports arena that will not only host national events but also attract international competitions.
He said, “Ongoing renovation and rehabilitation of the Osogbo Township Stadium to meet Olympic standards — a project that will be completed in the shortest possible time.
“I am pleased to inform you that plans are in advanced stages towards the establishment of the Osun State Sports Commission, which will serve as a central body for sports administration, development, and policy implementation.
“Davido has been appointed to chair the Sports Trust Fund, and he did not hesitate in accepting the appointment. His intervention would attract funds that would impact Osun sports positively.”
Sports
Dembele returns for PSG after six weeks out
Dembele, 28, has been out since injuring a hamstring while on international duty with France in early September.

• Dembele
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele was on Monday included in Paris Saint-Germain’s squad to face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League after a six-week injury layoff.
According to AFP, Dembele’s return for Tuesday’s league stage game will come as a welcome boost for coach Luis Enrique, whose side has been struggling with injuries this season.
Dembele, 28, has been out since injuring a hamstring while on international duty with France in early September.
He had been recuperating at a specialist clinic in Qatar and returned to training last week.
He missed out on PSG’s entertaining 3-3 draw against Strasbourg on Friday but could play some role in Germany as the European champions seek to make it three wins out of three in the Champions League so far this season.
Leverkusen centre-back Loic Bade, Dembele’s teammate in the France squad, told reporters Monday there was “no secret recipe” to stopping the PSG forward, calling him “a complete player with several qualities”.
“He won the Ballon d’Or — of course he’s got a lot of quality. He’s good with both feet. I don’t think he’s got a weak side,” Bade said.
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