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TSO Appoints Danmusa as N’Central Coordinators for 2026 Football Tournament

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From Abel Zwanke, Lafia

The Tinubu Support Organisation (TSO) Football Directorate has appointed six football administrators, including former Lobi Stars and Plateau United officials, as coordinators for the North Central states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of its 2026 National Football Tournament.

The appointments, approved under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, take immediate effect and are aimed at strengthening grassroots football mobilisation in the zone ahead of the tournament scheduled for April 2026.

Announcing the appointments on Sunday, North Central Zonal Coordinator of TSO and Chairman of Nasarawa United F.

C., Solomon Babanjah, said the move was part of efforts to ensure a seamless organisation of zonal eliminations leading to the national finals.

According to the list released, retired Director of Information in the Nasarawa State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and Patron of Akwanga All Stars FC, Danmusa Mohammed Oweh, will serve as Coordinator for Nasarawa State.

Former Chairman of Lobi Stars F.C. and current Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Creativity, Dr. Philip Ter Nongu, was named Coordinator for Benue State, while General Manager of Plateau United F.C., Barrister Gideon Atu Izang, will coordinate Plateau State.

Others appointed are Shaibu Yakubu for Niger State, Muhammad Abdullahi for Kogi State, Dele Abubakar (MON) for Kwara State, and Mr. Patrick Ngwaogu for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Babanjah said the coordinators would oversee implementation of the football project in their respective states and liaise with local clubs to assemble formidable teams for the zonal elimination series.

“They are to work closely with football stakeholders at the grassroots to raise competitive state teams for the zonal playoffs and ultimately the national finals,” he said.

He added that beyond the tournament, the coordinators are mandated to organise coaching clinics, refereeing courses and football administration workshops to strengthen local football structures.

“The project is not just about competition. It is about talent discovery, community engagement and using sports as a vehicle for social cohesion in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he stated.

The TSO Football Project, according to the statement signed by TSO Media representative Eche Amos, is designed to deepen community participation and promote national unity through sports development initiatives.

According to reports, Dates and venues for the zonal playoffs and national finals are expected to be announced in due course.

SPORTS

Super Eagles Friendlies against Iran, Jordan Moved to Turkey

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The Jordan Football Association (JFA), has announced a new venue for the four-nation invitational tournament involving the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Iran, and Costa Rica.

The tournament was initially scheduled to be held in Amman, the capital of Jordan.

Antalya, Turkey will now host the competition which will help the hosts Jordan,and Iran, prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“The Jordan Football Association has decided to move the matches of the four-team international friendly tournament, scheduled for March 2026, to be held in the Turkish city of Antalya, due to the current situation in the region and the limited movement of people,” the JFA announced on its official website.

The Super Eagles will face Iran in their first game on Friday, 27 March. Jordan and Costa Rica will also meet on the same day.

Eric Chelle’s side will confront hosts Jordan in their second game on Tuesday, 31 March.

Iran will also keep a date with Costa Rica on the same day.

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SPORTS

Over 20 Schools Set for Third Athletics School Games in Lagos

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No fewer than 20 schools are set to participate in the third edition of the Athletics School Games (TASG), a grassroots athletics competition for school children scheduled to be held in Lagos.

The 2026 edition of the competition will take place from March 20 to March 21 at the sports complex of Yaba College of Technology.

Seun Akinbohun, President of TASG, said in a statement on Wednesday that the competition, designed for children aged between four and 16, will feature participating schools competing in sprint races, middle-distance races and field events.

Akinbohun said the initiative, which began in 2024 and is registered with World Athletics, had continued to attract increasing participation from schools.

He noted that the third edition would introduce an expanded format aimed at improving athlete development and the overall competition structure.

“For the first time, primary school events will be separated from secondary school contests to allow for more races, better scheduling and improved recovery time for young athletes.

“Technical officiating, timing systems and event coordination have also been upgraded to meet higher standards,” he said.

Akinbohun said the games would provide a platform for talent discovery and exposure for young athletes while also promoting sportsmanship and character development among participating schools.

According to him, the Kashopefoluwa Sportsmanship Award will be presented to athletes and schools that demonstrate integrity, discipline and respect during the competition.

He, however, noted that the event had faced challenges, particularly in funding and sponsorship, with much of the competition being self-financed.

He added that infrastructure limitations also remained a concern, as equipment and venues were often independently sourced.

Akinbohun said the project had continued to grow, with each edition recording improvements in organisation and participation from schools in spite of the challenges.

“The unique part of the 2026 edition includes the introduction of new events such as the 400m hurdles in the senior secondary category, improved officiating and increased participation from schools.

“The games remain strictly schools-based, with clubs and academies excluded in order to strengthen inter-school sports programmes,” he added.

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Trump ‘ll Welcome Iran at World Cup – Infantino

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US President Donald Trump has said Iran are “welcome” to take part in this summer’s World Cup despite the countries being at war, according to Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

Posting on Instagram, Infantino said he met with Trump on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the tournament, which is being hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico and gets under way on 11 June.

Infantino said he and Trump “spoke about the current situation in Iran”.

Iran are scheduled to play three matches in the US, but their participation has been in doubt since the US and Israel launched strikes on the country this month, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran responded by launching missiles and drones towards Israel and four Gulf Arab countries which host US military bases – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino said.

“We all need an event like the Fifa World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the president of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that football unites the world.”

Iran are due to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on 15 and 21 June respectively and Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.

Trump last week told Politico, external “I really don’t care” if Iran play in the World Cup.

Following the outbreak of military action, Iran football federation president Mehdi Taj has been quoted as saying: “What is certain is that after these attacks, it’s hard to look at the World Cup with hope.”

Australia has granted six humanitarian visas to members of Iran’s women’s team over concerns about their safety.

The remaining Iran players left Australia on Tuesday after the team’s elimination from the AFC Asian Cup.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said seven people were granted asylum, but one woman later changed her mind and opted to return home.

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