Offs: Rabat to host Nigeria, Gabon decider

The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has become clearer for Nigeria’s Super Eagles following the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s confirmation of Rabat, Morocco’s capital city, as the host for their decisive playoff clash against Gabon on November 13th.

CAF’s announcement ends weeks of speculation over the venue, after initially naming Morocco as host nation earlier in October without specifying the exact city.

The latest update now allows the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles technical crew to intensify preparations with full knowledge of where the all-important encounter will take place.

According to respected journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, the Olympic Stadium in Rabat has been selected as the match venue. The stadium, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, is regarded as one of the finest football arenas in Africa.

For Nigeria, this fixture represents another crucial step in their quest to secure one of Africa’s remaining tickets to the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Organisers approve Rugby for 27th NUGA Games in Jos

Rugby has been approved among the 22 sporting events for the 27th Nigeria University Games (NUGA), scheduled to take place at the University of Jos, Plateau State, between November 6 and 16/.

According to the organisers, the approved sports include rugby, tennis, table tennis, athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, cricket, handball, judo, taekwondo, scrabble, swimming, football, volleyball, hockey, boxing, e-sports, rowing and yachting, karate, beach volleyball, and squash.

Reacting to the inclusion of rugby, the President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Dr. Ademola Are, described it as a “welcome development” and a testament to the tireless efforts of stakeholders who have continued to advocate for the sport.

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“This is encouraging and the reward for the consistent efforts of those who keep speaking for rugby in the right places. We must continue to project the sport until it gets the recognition it truly deserves,” he said.

In his acceptance speech after being sworn in as President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Dr. Ademola Are reiterated his commitment to working closely with NUGA to ensure that rugby continues to gain ground across Nigerian universities.

“This achievement is part of the result of our continuous collaboration with NUGA to expand the reach of rugby in universities nationwide,” he said.

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