Author: Favour Olatunbosun

FIFA has published its latest disciplinary list for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, but South Africa is missing, despite controversy over midfielder Teboho Mokoena’s eligibility. The four-page document, seen by PUNCH Sport Extra, details sanctions against several teams but does not mention the South African Football Association. This omission comes after Nigeria and Benin formally complained about Mokoena’s role in South Africa’s 2-0 win over Lesotho in March. Mokoena had already received yellow cards against Benin (November 2023) and Zimbabwe (June 2024). Under FIFA rules, two bookings trigger a one-match suspension, meaning he should not have played against Lesotho. Critics…

Benfica are talking to Jose Mourinho about taking over as manager. The club fired Bruno Lage after a 3-2 loss to Qarabag in the Champions League, where Benfica blew a two-goal lead at home. Club president Rui Costa said Benfica want to appoint a new coach by Saturday. He didn’t confirm if Mourinho is the top choice, but BBC Sport says talks with Mourinho are underway. The Portuguese coach could return home after 21 years abroad. Fenerbahce sacked Mourinho on 29 August, just two days after Benfica knocked them out of the Champions League play-offs. Mourinho started his coaching career…

Saturday’s blockbuster showdown between Terence “Bud” Crawford (42-0) and Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez (63-3-2) became a global spectacle, pulling an estimated 41.4 million viewers worldwide on Netflix, according to internal data. An average of 36.6 million viewers tuned in from opening bell to the final round as Crawford dominated to claim the undisputed Super Middleweight Championship. Netflix says it was the most-watched men’s championship boxing match of the century. The fight ranked #1 on Netflix in 30 countries, including the U.S., Mexico, U.K., and Canada, and landed in the Top 10 in 91 countries. On social media, it generated over 950…

Mikel Arteta says he is determined to change Arsenal’s history in the UEFA Champions League by guiding the club to its first-ever title. Despite being 13-time English champions, Arsenal have only reached the Champions League final once, losing 2-1 to Barcelona in 2006. They have also appeared in three semi-finals, including last season’s run that ended in defeat to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. According to the Opta supercomputer, Arsenal have a 16% chance of winning the tournament, making them one of the frontrunners. Only Liverpool (20%) are rated higher among English clubs. Arteta said Arsenal’s lack of success in Europe…

Da’velle Smith is embracing growth and learning as he carries forward the proud tradition of Detroit’s legendary Kronk Gym. Smith (13-0, 8 KOs), from Taylor, Michigan, returns to action on Saturday at the Fox Theater in Detroit. The 25-year-old super middleweight, signed to Salita Promotions, trains under “Sugarhill” Steward in Florida after coming up through Kronk’s system. In his last fight, Smith moved up in weight and earned an eight-round unanimous decision over Martez McGregor. Now, he’s focused on steady improvement. “At this point, I feel there is always something to learn. That is the fun in it,” Smith told…

Resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory have begun an indefinite strike after talks with the FCT Administration failed. In a statement released on Monday, the doctors’ association (ARD-FCT) confirmed the action, with President Dr. George Ebong and General Secretary Dr. Agbor Affiong signing the communique. The doctors had earlier staged a seven-day warning strike last week but say the government did not address their demands, forcing them to down tools completely.

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Safety Commission, has issued a stop-work notice on a six-storey building under construction at 28, Saka Tinubu Street, Victoria Island, over safety violations that pose risks to lives and properties. Residents Raise Alarm Two weeks earlier, residents of the area had raised concerns, saying the construction was causing severe damage to nearby buildings, vehicles, and endangering pedestrians. In a petition, residents lamented: “Boulders and planks keep falling into other compounds, damaging walls, windows, ceilings, and cars. More importantly, these falling materials could harm innocent people and even lead to death.” Safety Commission’s…

Fear has gripped residents of Lakowe’s Orita Adeba and Sangotedo in Lagos State after suspected cult clashes left two young men dead in separate attacks on Saturday. Lakowe Incident In Lakowe, a young man was brutally attacked with machetes and left by the roadside near Orita Adeba. Witnesses said the attackers, believed to be members of the Aye cult group, cut off the victim’s right wrist before fleeing. A resident said: We can no longer sleep at night. They left his body at Orita Adeba. This has been happening repeatedly. They are killing each other to settle scores.” A short…

The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold an urgent debate on Tuesday over Israel’s recent airstrike in Qatar that killed senior Hamas leaders. The council announced on Monday that the debate follows two official requests, one from Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and another from Kuwait on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This will be the council’s 10th urgent debate since its creation in 2006, focusing on what it described as “recent military aggression carried out by the State of Israel against the State of Qatar on 9 September 2025.” Israel’s strike…

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast thunderstorms and rainfall across parts of the country from Monday, September 15, to Wednesday, September 17, 2025. In its weather outlook released on Sunday, NiMet predicted isolated thunderstorms with moderate rainfall across Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, Kebbi, Adamawa, and Taraba on Monday morning. Flash floods are likely in Adamawa, Taraba, and Gombe. The central region, including Niger, Kogi, Kwara, FCT, and Benue, will experience cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine in the morning, followed by thunderstorms and rainfall later in the day. For the southern states, NiMet forecast cloudy skies in the morning with…