By Kazeem Ajibola Shoyebo The most obvious story surrounding the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg is Omar Artan. The Somali referee will become the first non-European referee to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup, a historic appointment made only weeks after he was selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but prevented from participating
Several U.S. cities that hosted matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup are seeking millions of dollars in legacy funding they say was promised by FIFA but has yet to be delivered, adding another challenge for world football’s governing body amid a broader governance crisis. According to multiple executives from U.S. World Cup host city
The collapse of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal has done little to ease the crisis engulfing FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Instead, the withdrawal of the plan has triggered fresh scrutiny after reports alleged that Infantino intended to become the head of the proposed commercial entity on an annual salary of US$30 million, more
By Paul Lucky Okoku After a heartbreaking opening defeat to Malawi, Nigeria answered with courage, discipline, and resilience, proving that champions are often defined not by how they win, but by how they respond to adversity. The Super Falcons walked into their second Group C match against Zambia carrying more than the weight of three
Separating Verified Tax Law from Social Media Speculation By Paul Lucky Okoku An evidence-based examination of the viral claims surrounding FIFA World Cup prize money, U.S. tax law, and what the available official evidence actually shows. Over the past several days, social media has been flooded with claims that the United States government, through the
Late Fightback Not Enough as Nigeria Learn a Familiar Lesson in Rabat By Paul Lucky Okoku Defending champions are expected to play with confidence. They are not expected to play with complacency. Nigeria’s Super Falcons were taught that painful lesson on Tuesday night as tournament debutants Malawi produced one of the biggest upsets of the
By Paul Lucky Okoku Germany have wasted no time preparing for the future. Just days after their disappointing exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the German Football Association (DFB) has officially appointed former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp as head coach of the German men’s national team on a four-year contract running through the 2030
By Paul Lucky Okoku Some friendships begin by chance…. the rare ones become part of your life’s story. When I travelled to California to celebrate Mrs. Fola Olukanni’s birthday, I expected a joyful weekend with family and friends. What I did not expect was to be carried back more than fifty years—to the streets and
Politics, Power and Profit: How FIFA’s Most Controversial Tournament Left Football Facing a Crisis of Trust From unprecedented disciplinary decisions and political interference to immigration disputes, commercial excess and growing calls for reform, the 2026 FIFA World Cup may be remembered as much for its controversies as Spain’s triumph on the pitch. Spain’s 1-0 extra-time
By Bolarinwa Olajide, Toronto, Canada Lionel Messi’s final act on the World Cup stage was not a moment of magic. It was a slow walk, head down, eyes wet, as Spain celebrated the trophy he desperately wanted to lift one more time. For 20 years, Messi bent World Cups to his will. In 2026, the