Photo: Chief Festus Onigbinde

Mr Oyekunle Onigbinde, the last child of the late national coach Festus Onigbinde, has said that although his father was sick, he fought well to stay alive.

Oyekunle made the remarks in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan on Tuesday.

Describing his father as a generous man who cared for everyone, Oyekunle said that his death on Monday came as a huge shock.

“He fought well to stay alive.

“He was sick, but due to old age, his body couldn’t fight the recovery.

“My father was very accommodating; he pulled everyone together.

“He didn’t care who you were; he just wanted everyone happy and united.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the African referees and video assistants selected to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, notably without a single Nigerian official on the list.

This absence has fueled a wider discussion about African referee representation at the global tournament. While CAF’s selection features a blend of experienced and emerging talents, the most surprising omission for many across the continent is highly-rated Somali official Omar Abdulkadir Artan, whose exclusion has largely overshadowed other selections

The chosen officials include Mauritania’s Dahane Beida, recognized for consistent performance, alongside established names like Algeria’s Mustapha Ghorbal, DR Congo’s Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo, Egypt’s Amin Omar, and Gabon’s Pierre Ghislain Atcho.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team comprises Algeria’s Lahlou Benbraham, Egypt’s Mahmoud Ashour, and Eswatini’s Letticia Viana.

CAF stated that selections were based on “rigorous assessments of consistency, experience, and performance in continental and international fixtures.”

However, the complete lack of Nigerian representation, coupled with Artan’s unexpected omission, has prompted significant scrutiny and questioning of the selection criteria and process for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

(Source: Leadership)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday that Mexico will deploy 100,000 police, military and private security forces to secure the 13 games it will host during this summer’s football World Cup.

Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with the United States and Canada, from June 11 to July 19.

Sheinbaum made the disclosure during a press conference at a military base in Zapopan, Guadalajara state , Mexico, on March 6, 2026.

Guadalajara, capital of Jalisco state, Mexico City and the northeastern city of Monterrey will host 13 games between them, including opening match on June 11 at Azteca Stadium in the capital.

President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled the country’s security plan less than two weeks after an explosion of violence in Guadalajara, and other parts of the country, triggered by the death of a notorious drug lord.

Mexico City and Monterrey were spared by the violence.

Sheinbaum presented her plan at a military base in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, which was rocked by the killing of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, leader of the fearsome Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC) in an army raid on February 22.