By Wakawaka Sports

Veteran Lagos footballer, Alfred Kosi, has called on stakeholders to revive the grassroots football structure that produced outstanding talents in Lagos during the 1970s and 1980s.

Kosi, who was born in Surulere, Lagos, recalled that football development was once built around a clear pathway from primary school to secondary school, street football and higher levels of the game.

He said talent and passion were major driving forces behind football during the period, stressing that the game attracted youngsters who were determined to develop their abilities.

Football has to go with passion. We need people who know the game and are knowledgeable about it. Former players can become coaches, while passionate journalists can also contribute as stakeholders,” he said.

Kosi also emphasised the importance of character and quality in football development, noting that talent alone was not enough to build successful players and a sustainable football system.

He urged football authorities and other stakeholders to return to the drawing board and rebuild the grassroots structure, saying talented youngsters are still scattered across the country but lack adequate opportunities for identification and development.

“The talents are there, but the structure is not good enough. We must bring back the structure from primary school to secondary school and beyond,” Kosi said.

He added that strengthening the grassroots system would provide a clearer pathway for young players to develop their talents and contribute to the future growth of Nigerian football.

The post Kosi urges stakeholders to revive Lagos grassroots football structure appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

𝐁𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐎𝐤𝐨𝐤𝐮

What happens when a footballer believes money is owed to her but speaking publicly could threaten her career?

What happens when challenging poor conditions may affect selection, contracts or future opportunities?

Across different generations, Nigerian women footballers have raised concerns about unpaid entitlements, poor working conditions, exclusion, harassment and the consequences of speaking up.

Together, those concerns point to the need for credible, independent player representation.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐌 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒

After the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩, 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 confirmed that it was assisting the 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬 in a dispute with the 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 over bonuses, camp allowances and expenses, some dating back to 2021.

The domestic league has produced its own warning signs. In 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎, the 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 postponed the season after 𝟏𝟐 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟔 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐬 failed to show that wages were up to date and comprehensive medical tests had been completed. Then-NWFL Chief Operating Officer 𝐃𝐫. 𝐀𝐲𝐨 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧 insisted the competition could not begin while clubs still owed players.

Once an organisation employs footballers professionally, paying them and meeting basic welfare obligations should not be optional.

𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐘

In 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, Super Falcons captain 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐣𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐞 said she spent 𝟏𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 playing for 𝐅𝐂 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 without receiving a salary.

That account deserves attention because it exposes a basic contradiction: football is treated as professional when players are expected to train, compete and perform, but not always when it is time to pay them.

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒

On 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑, a 𝐏𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 investigation based on reporting by 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 published accounts from members of Nigeria’s 2023 Women’s World Cup squad about unpaid wages and alleged blacklisting.

The players who discussed the blacklisting issue asked to remain anonymous because they said they feared consequences for speaking publicly. One described the atmosphere this way:

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐮𝐩, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐩.”

Veteran goalkeeper 𝐓𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐤𝐰𝐮 𝐎𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐡𝐢 was said by players present to have asked 𝐍𝐅𝐅 officials during the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 in Morocco to treat the team “𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬.” Those players alleged that she was subsequently excluded from international camps.

Former Super Falcons captain 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐢𝐞 was also named. Players alleged that after she pressed for outstanding payments following the 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩, including money owed to former teammates, she was stripped of the captaincy and excluded from the national team for two years.

Then-Super Falcons coach 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐦 later publicly said that Oparanozie had spoken strongly about unpaid wages and that federation officials initially prevented him from recalling her.

The 𝐍𝐅𝐅, however, denied that her omission was connected to the 2019 protest and said team selection was the coaches’ responsibility.

These are reported allegations, not judicial findings. But when players believe asserting their rights may affect selection, the fear itself becomes part of the power imbalance.

𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐃

A 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 of 𝟑𝟖𝟔 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬 in 𝐄𝐧𝐮𝐠𝐮 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 found that 𝟕𝟎.𝟕 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 reported experiencing sexual harassment in a sporting environment.

Reported experiences included inappropriate touching or groping at 𝟔𝟐.𝟒 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭, unwanted sexual comments at 𝟓𝟗.𝟏 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 and unwanted sexual advances at 𝟓𝟔 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭. Only 𝟒𝟏.𝟕 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 said incidents had been reported.

The study covered different sports and included men and women, so those figures cannot be presented as the prevalence specifically among Nigerian women footballers. They do, however, show a serious safeguarding concern in Nigerian sport.

Women’s football has produced its own allegations.

In a 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 interview, Nigerian footballer 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐮 alleged that men had sought sex before helping her and that coaches and teammates had tried to take advantage of her. Former African Women’s Footballer of the Year 𝐂𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚 𝐔𝐰𝐚𝐤 alleged in 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 that players had been excluded because of their real or perceived sexual orientation.

In 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔, then-NFF First Vice President 𝐒𝐞𝐲𝐢 𝐀𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐰𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐢 said publicly that coaches “𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬” while discussing Nigerian women’s football. He did not identify individuals, and the statement was not a judicial finding.

These accounts reinforce the need for an independent safeguarding system where a footballer can report harassment, coercion, discrimination or inappropriate conduct confidentially and without fear of career consequences.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐍-𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐒𝐎 𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐆𝐀𝐏

Travel, accommodation, nutrition, insurance, medical treatment, recovery and rest are all part of a footballer’s working conditions.

For women, the protections must go further.

Pregnancy should not end a football career.

Motherhood should not cost a player her contract.

A woman should not have to choose between having a family and earning a living through football.

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀’𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 establish minimum protections for professional women players. 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 identifies among those rights paid maternity leave, the right to continue playing when medically able, the right to return after maternity leave when healthy, and the right to feed a baby during working hours in an appropriate place. 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 expanded the framework in 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 to include adoption leave and additional family-related protections.

In 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, the 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 ruled in favour of Swedish player 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐠 after finding that 𝐋𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 unlawfully ended an employment relationship because of her pregnancy. FIFPRO described the case as confirmation that FIFA’s maternity regulations are enforceable.

FIFPRO brings national player associations into a global structure dealing directly with employment standards, maternity protection, women’s health, transfers, workload, collective bargaining and player welfare.

Its 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 brought active professional players into discussions on maternity regulations, assisted reproduction, women’s health and employment standards.

As of 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 identified 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 among African countries whose player associations were still outside its membership structure. Nigerian representatives attended the FIFPRO Africa General Assembly alongside other non-member unions aspiring to join.

The absence of full FIFPRO membership does not mean Nigerian footballers have no rights under FIFA regulations.

They do.

But it does mean Nigerian players do not yet have the same fully integrated national-union connection to the global player-representation structure enjoyed by footballers whose unions are FIFPRO members.

Having an organised player body capable of educating players about those rights, helping enforce them, supporting a dispute and connecting the player to international representation is another matter.

A right written on paper is most valuable when the footballer knows it exists and has somewhere credible to turn when it is violated.

𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄

Nigeria does not have to imagine what stronger player representation can look like. Other football countries have already gone through the difficult process of organising players, negotiating collectively and turning workplace complaints into enforceable protections.

In the 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, the Dutch players’ union 𝐕𝐕𝐂𝐒 began organising women footballers more deliberately as the professional game developed. Former Netherlands international 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐠 said securing a collective bargaining agreement was a priority because many women were expected to behave like professionals without professional contracts, insurance or adequate compensation. VVCS helped female players at PSV secure a collective agreement, demonstrating how organisation can turn individual concerns into negotiated rights.

In 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧, women players have also used collective action and union representation to improve their working conditions. A players’ strike in 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 helped secure improved minimum salaries. The second collective agreement for Spain’s top women’s league, published in 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, went further: it included maternity and pregnancy protections, lactation rooms, childcare during training and matches, postpartum support, mental-health measures and an independent protocol dealing with sexual and workplace harassment.

In 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚, 𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐅𝐔𝐓𝐏𝐑𝐎 spent years demanding recognition and collective negotiation. After sustained pressure, labour intervention and international support, the union reached a 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 agreement with the Colombian Football Federation and Dimayor covering health, workload, contracts and working conditions, including measures affecting the women’s league.

The lesson is not that these countries solved every problem.

They did not.

The lesson is that players organised, stayed involved and used collective representation to move workplace protections from promises into agreements.

That same global structure now addresses issues Nigerian women footballers are already confronting: maternity rights, women’s health, employment standards, collective bargaining, transfers, workload, player welfare and safeguarding. At the 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭, active players participated directly in discussions on maternity regulation, assisted reproduction, women’s health and employment conditions.

That is the comparison Nigeria should study.

The benefits did not appear automatically.

Players organised for them.

𝐀 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

A footballer’s ability to move is part of her livelihood, and international opportunities can disappear quickly as transfer windows close.

Under 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀’𝐬 revised International Transfer Certificate process, FIFPRO explains that a former club or federation cannot simply reject an ITC. If the former association does not respond within 𝟕𝟐 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬, the new association may proceed with registration. The player cannot be required to obtain or pay for the ITC herself.

Nigerian women footballers should know those rights.

No player should lose an overseas opportunity because she misunderstands the process or believes someone can arbitrarily block her move.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄

Contracts, salaries, travel, medical standards, insurance, workload, rest periods and dispute-resolution rules directly affect active footballers.

Representation is not meaningful simply because someone carries the title of players’ representative.

The representative must first listen.

Are salaries being paid?

Are contracts understood before they are signed?

Are medical expenses covered?

What happens when a club breaches an agreement?

What do the players themselves want changed?

Active players know the pressure points because they live them.

The 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀–𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 strengthened formal player participation in global football governance.

The lesson is straightforward: representation should begin with the footballers themselves.

The union listens.

The players establish priorities.

The representative carries those priorities into negotiations.

Afterwards, the players should know what was discussed, what was agreed and what remains unresolved.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄

The final test is simple:

Does the system protect the player when protection is actually needed?

If the answer depends on who she knows, whether she remains silent or whether she is powerful enough to fight alone, the system is not working as it should.

When players understand their rights, institutions enforce their obligations and representatives genuinely carry the players’ voice, the balance begins to change.

And Nigerian women footballers deserve nothing less.

𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐎𝐤𝐨𝐤𝐮
FIFA Legend | Former Nigeria Flying Eagles Vice-Captain | Former Super Eagles International | AFCON Silver Medalist | Football Historian | Football Analyst | Investigative Football Writer | Journalist-at-Large | Founder & CEO, Greater Tomorrow Children’s Fund (GTCF)

The post 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐍-𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 — 𝐔𝐍𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑, 𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

Team Nigeria will return to the boards on Sunday with both the men’s and women’s teams looking to build on encouraging signs from the opening four rounds of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

After four rounds, Nigeria’s women have collected five match points from two wins, one draw and one defeat, while the men have four match points from two wins and two losses. The Olympiad features 11 rounds in the Swiss-system team competition.

The women have arguably provided Nigeria’s brightest individual performances so far, with Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo leading the way on 3½ points from four games. Sandra Osarugue Omoruyi has also made a strong contribution with three points from four games, while Deborah Ebimobo-ere Quickpen has added two points.

Nigeria’s women opened with a 4-0 demolition of Mali, suffered a 3½-½ defeat to England in Round Two, drew 2-2 with Mozambique before responding strongly with a 3-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in Round Four. Nwankwo has been particularly consistent, winning three of her four games and drawing the other.

The men have also shown signs of competitiveness. They began with a commanding 4-0 victory over New Caledonia, fell 3½-½ to Kazakhstan, bounced back to defeat Saudi Arabia 2½-1½ and then suffered a 3-1 setback against Cuba in Round Four.

Odion Aikhoje and Odey Goodness Ekunke have been among the men’s leading performers, both sitting on 2½ points after four games. Aikhoje has scored 2½ points from four games, while Ekunke has matched that tally, providing Nigeria with valuable results in the middle and lower boards.

The men’s campaign has therefore featured the ability to recover from setbacks, particularly the response to the Kazakhstan defeat when they secured a narrow victory over Saudi Arabia.

The 4-0 opening-day whitewash against New Caledonia also underlined the team’s capacity to convert favourable match-ups into maximum points.

The Nigerian men will face Malawi in Round 5, scheduled for 3 p.m. in Samarkand today (Sunday). Both teams enter the encounter with four match points, with Nigeria currently listed ahead of Malawi in the tournament standings.

The women, meanwhile, have been drawn against the Czech Republic, another team with five match points after four rounds. The Round Five encounter is also scheduled for 3 p.m. in Samarkand, putting Nigeria’s women in another important battle as they seek to extend their positive run.

With the tournament still in its early stages, Nigeria’s immediate target will be to turn individual consistency into stronger team results. For the women, Nwankwo’s excellent start and Omoruyi’s contribution provide a solid foundation, while the men will be looking for Aikhoje, Ekunke and their teammates to rediscover the collective strength that produced their opening-round victory and subsequent win over Saudi Arabia.

Round 5 could therefore prove another important checkpoint for both Nigerian teams as the Olympiad moves deeper into its 11-round programme.

SIGNED

Ejiro Thukson IV
Secretary General,
Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF)

The post CHESS OLYMPIAD: Nigeria’s women gather momentum, men set for Malawi test in Round 5 appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

Senior Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has congratulated Athletics Kenya on the award of the hosting rights for the 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi, describing the decision as a landmark moment for Kenya and a major victory for African athletics.

AFN President and Senior Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Chief Tonobok Okowa, expressed delight over Nairobi’s successful bid, saying the hosting rights represent a “win-win” outcome for the continent.

“Congratulations, Athletics Kenya. This is a great moment for Kenya and, indeed, for the whole of Africa,” Okowa said.

“Bringing the World Athletics Championships to Nairobi in 2029 is not just about Kenya hosting a global competition. It is a victory for African athletics and an opportunity to showcase the enormous talent, passion and organisational capacity that exist on our continent.”

Okowa also commended World Athletics for selecting Nairobi, saying the decision would open a new chapter for the sport in Africa.

“We must commend World Athletics for entrusting Nairobi and Kenya with this historic responsibility. It is a bold and important decision that will have a lasting impact on athletics across Africa,” he added.

The AFN President noted that Nigeria was proud to have supported Athletics Kenya’s successful bid and said the development should be embraced by every member of the African athletics family.

“AFN is proud to have supported the Kenyan bid, and we are delighted to celebrate this achievement with Athletics Kenya and the entire African athletics family,” Okowa said.

He called on national federations, athletes, administrators, sponsors, governments and other stakeholders across Africa to rally behind Kenya as preparations for the championships begins.

“I appeal to the entire African athletics family to support Kenya. This is our championship, this is our opportunity, and we must work together to ensure that Nairobi 2029 becomes a memorable and successful World Athletics Championships,” he said.

According to Okowa, the event will provide Africa with a global platform to demonstrate its capabilities while inspiring a new generation of athletes across the continent.

“We look forward to seeing Nairobi welcome the world in 2029. This is the beginning of a new chapter, and Africa must seize the opportunity to make it a championship that the world will remember,” he stated.

The AFN said it looks forward to witnessing the global athletics community converge on Nairobi in 2029 for what will be the first staging of the World Athletics Championships on African soil.

For Athletics Kenya, the successful bid represents a historic achievement, while for the wider African athletics community, it offers an opportunity to strengthen the continent’s position on the global athletics calendar.

SIGNED

Maxwell Kumoye
Chairman Media Committee,
Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

The post Okowa hails Nairobi 2029 World Athletics hosting rights as win-win for Africa appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

It was a no-victor, no-vanquished situation when the players’ bloc held an interactive session from 12–2 p.m. on September 14th with the National Sports Commission, shortly before the meeting with the FIFA delegation.

Although the players’ bloc had already held their own private meeting at Sandralia Hotel the previous night, September 13th, where we resolved to keep our differences aside and speak with one voice as a united front, the chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, was emphatic to the players’ bloc that PFAN is the only legally recognized body officially working with the National Sports Commission and the NFF, having been backed by an Act of Parliament promulgated by the National Assembly (National Sports Commission Establishment Act 2023).

Dikko further advised that the NSC and NFF cannot work outside the law. He appealed to the players’ bloc to close ranks under PFAN and work together as a united body for their benefit in the ongoing football reforms and transition process.

It would be recalled that past NFF leadership, for decades, deployed a divide-and-rule policy to stagnate the growth of the players’ union in Nigeria, using gullible ex-players as bait to prevent a united front.

Mallam Dikko, having served briefly as Vice Chairman to Hon. Nduka Erhabor of the League Management Company and later chairman of the same LMC, as well as 2nd Vice President to Amaju Pinnick for eight years, thoroughly understands the history and politics stagnating the players’ union growth in Nigeria.

Yours sincerely, as the progenitor and founder of the players’ movement in Nigeria and current Chairman, Board of Trustees of PFAN, and the entire PFAN family, give kudos to the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, the dynamic and energetic Hon. Bukola Olopade.

Putting the self-induced players’ union crisis to rest is giving the ongoing football reforms and transition process a human face.

The FIFA delegation themselves were happy to see Tijani Babangida, Harrison Jalla, and Chikelu Ileanyosi speaking and making their presentation as one united body.

Prince Harrison Jalla
Chairman
Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Initiative

The post FIFA MEETING: DIKKO CLEARS THE AIR ON MULTIPLE PLAYERS UNIONS; INSISTS THE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA IS THE BODY RECOGNIZED BY AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

𝐁𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐎𝐤𝐨𝐤𝐮

For years, Colombian professional footballers faced a contradiction.

The clubs employed them, but some of the decisions shaping their working lives were made elsewhere — by the Colombian Football Federation and Dimayor, the professional league.

𝐊𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐬. 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬.

So whom should the players negotiate with?

That question became central to a long struggle led by ACOLFUTPRO, Colombia’s professional footballers’ association.

The lesson from Colombia is not that collective bargaining produces instant harmony.

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐃

Colombia’s labour structure created an unusual problem.

Under domestic law, the clubs are the players’ direct employers. Yet ACOLFUTPRO argued that the federation and Dimayor also exercise substantial influence over the conditions under which professional footballers work.

For years, the union struggled to secure meaningful negotiations with those institutions.

In December 2021, it took the dispute to the International Labour Organization, invoking international conventions concerning freedom of association and collective bargaining.

That move widened the arena.

With Colombia’s Ministry of Labour later mediating, ACOLFUTPRO, the federation, Dimayor and club representatives eventually sat around the same table.

𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄𝐒

The talks eventually produced practical gains.

In 2025, changes to the men’s calendar provided at least eight additional days of end-of-season rest compared with the previous year.

The parties also addressed kick-off scheduling in places where combinations of extreme heat and humidity could create added health risks for players, including cities such as Barranquilla.

The federation and Dimayor further agreed to recommend that clubs respect a weekly paid rest day.

None of those measures sounds dramatic on a match poster.

But careers are not lived on posters.

They are lived in training sessions, airports, recovery rooms and tired bodies asked to perform again.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞.

𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐄

The negotiations also reached the women’s game.

For the 2025 season, Colombia’s women’s league expanded to 16 teams and 158 matches, with the competition scheduled across a longer season.

The employment consequence was significant: according to ACOLFUTPRO, player contracts that had commonly lasted around four months were expected to extend to approximately eight months.

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

That connection matters.

Growth should not mean asking women to play a longer competition while leaving them with the same short-term insecurity.

ACOLFUTPRO did not obtain everything it sought, including its desired number of contracts per club. But the negotiations demonstrated that women’s contractual conditions could no longer be treated as an afterthought.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐄

Collective bargaining is rarely a straight road.

The January 2025 agreements were only partial. Issues including the player statute, disciplinary rules, freedom of work and economic sanctions remained unresolved.

In March 2025, more than 1,000 Colombian footballers voted in favour of strike action after negotiations stalled on nine outstanding points.

The significance was not simply the threat of a strike.

It was the scale of collective participation.

Players were no longer waiting for one captain, one veteran or one high-profile international to speak for everyone.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞.

And the struggle continued. FIFPRO reported in January 2026 that further negotiations had concluded in September 2025, but a labour agreement expected to be formalised in November remained unsigned after the federation and Dimayor declined to sign it.

Progress had been made.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.

𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒

Colombia offers a useful correction to the idea that a players’ union exists only to recover unpaid wages.

ACOLFUTPRO’s work reached into scheduling, health, rest, women’s contracts, disciplinary rules and the structure of collective negotiations themselves.

A footballer can complain alone.

A dressing room can complain together.

But when players organise through a credible structure, document their demands, use labour law, invoke international mechanisms and negotiate collectively, the complaint becomes harder to ignore.

That is the deeper Colombian lesson.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

It is proved when players can convert their shared concerns into an organised voice — and that voice gains a place where decisions are made.

Because the player does not merely perform inside the system.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝.

𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐎𝐤𝐨𝐤𝐮
FIFA Legend | Former Nigeria Flying Eagles Vice-Captain | Former Super Eagles International | AFCON Silver Medalist | Football Historian | Football Analyst | Investigative Football Writer | Journalist-at-Large | Founder & CEO, Greater Tomorrow Children’s Fund (GTCF)

The post 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐁𝐈𝐀: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐍-𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 — 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐍 𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 — 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽

𝗕𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗢𝗸𝗼𝗸𝘂

Some player unions inherit decades of history.

Canada’s professional footballers had to build theirs while a new domestic league was still finding its feet.

The Canadian Premier League began play in 2019. In 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬, Canadian Premier League players formed Professional Footballers Association Canada — PFA Canada — seeking greater accountability, fairness and transparency through collective bargaining.

There was no century-old institution waiting for them.

No inherited bargaining structure.

No established domestic union tradition inside the new league.

They had to organise one themselves.

And that is what makes the Canadian story especially instructive.

It did not begin with international status.

It began with players deciding they needed a collective voice.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗦

PFA Canada’s first task was not to become internationally recognised.

It was to establish itself among the players.

FIFPRO reported in 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭 that the young union had already signed more than 90 percent of Canadian Premier League players and expected that figure to approach full participation the following season.

That early support mattered.

Before an organisation can credibly ask an international body to recognise it, it must first demonstrate that the footballers themselves are prepared to stand behind it.

The foundation was therefore domestic.

Players organised.

Membership grew.

The union established a presence.

Only then did the international pathway begin.

𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭 — 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗗𝗔 𝗕𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗔 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥

In 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭, PFA Canada became a 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢.

That was the first formal international milestone.

Candidate status meant the union had entered FIFPRO’s membership pathway, but it had not yet reached the destination.

There was still work to do.

The organisation had to continue demonstrating that it was genuinely player-driven, that it could represent footballers effectively and that its domestic legitimacy was real.

Canada had entered the structure.

Now it had to prove itself within it.

𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 — 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗚𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘

The most important domestic breakthrough came in 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮.

Canadian Premier League players voted unanimously among those participating for PFA Canada to serve as their collective-bargaining representative. Following that vote, the Canadian Premier League formally recognised the union.

That sequence is crucial.

The league did not simply select an organisation to speak for the players.

The players chose their representative.

Then the league recognised that choice.

That answered the most basic question any players’ union should be able to answer:

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀?

In Canada, the answer came from the dressing room.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱.

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗚𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔 𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣

Formal recognition changed what PFA Canada could do.

The union was no longer simply advocating from outside the employment structure.

It had become the recognised bargaining agent for Canadian Premier League players.

By 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, FIFPRO reported that PFA Canada was negotiating its first collective agreement with the league.

That progression matters.

A players’ association can issue statements.

A recognised bargaining agent can negotiate.

A player acting alone may have limited leverage.

Players acting collectively can create a formal channel through which contracts, discipline, working conditions and other employment matters can be addressed.

That is where representation begins to acquire institutional weight.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗟𝗦𝗢 𝗛𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗘

PFA Canada did not rely on recognition alone.

It expanded the services surrounding the player.

FIFPRO highlighted the union’s partnership with Onrise, which provided mental-health support to Canadian Premier League players, as evidence of PFA Canada’s commitment to player wellbeing.

The union also provided support on legal issues and other employment-related matters.

Those developments broadened the meaning of representation.

A footballer is not only a contract.

There is a body that absorbs injury.

A mind that carries pressure.

A career that may end suddenly.

And a life that continues after the final whistle.

A serious players’ union has to understand all of them.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦

Canada did not move from formation to full FIFPRO membership overnight.

That is one of the most important aspects of the story.

PFA Canada was formed in 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬.

It entered FIFPRO as a candidate member in 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭.

It secured formal domestic recognition after the player vote in 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮.

It continued building bargaining capacity, legal support and player-welfare programmes.

Then came the international breakthrough.

FIFPRO itself says that progressing to full membership requires a union to demonstrate that it is reliable, player-driven and capable of fulfilling strict criteria 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀.

Canada therefore had to do more than apply.

It had to develop.

It had to demonstrate.

It had to endure the process.

𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 — 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗗𝗔 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣

At the 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗻, 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗹, 𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, Canada reached the major milestone.

FIFPRO’s official announcement states that 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿.

FIFPRO’s French publication described Canada as a “membre à part entière,” while its Spanish version called Canada a “miembro de pleno derecho” — both meaning full member.

The 2025 General Assembly itself ran from 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟴 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗻, bringing FIFPRO member unions from around the world together for strategy, collaboration and discussion on player representation.

For PFA Canada, the moment represented the culmination of a process that had begun less than six years earlier.

From formation.

To candidate status.

To domestic recognition.

To bargaining.

To demonstrated player services.

And finally to full membership.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬

Canada’s development can be understood clearly through the dates:

𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 — 𝗣𝗙𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱.

𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭 — 𝗣𝗙𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿.

𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 — 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗙𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 — 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿.

That progression is not accidental.

Each stage required the previous one to have substance.

Formation created the organisation.

Player support created legitimacy.

Candidate membership opened the international pathway.

Domestic recognition created bargaining authority.

Services demonstrated usefulness.

Time demonstrated durability.

Full FIFPRO membership came after the structure had been built.

𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗬 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗧, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗

This may be the most important lesson in the Canadian example.

The union did not begin at the top.

It climbed.

No title replaced the need for player support.

No international relationship replaced the need for domestic credibility.

No press release replaced the need for organisation.

And no claim of representation replaced the need for players themselves to provide the mandate.

The process took years because credibility had to accumulate.

Step by step.

Vote by vote.

Service by service.

That is how an institution becomes difficult to dismiss.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗡

Football administration often works from the top downward.

Federations regulate.

Leagues organise.

Owners employ.

Administrators decide.

Canada’s union story moved in the opposite direction.

It began with the players.

That is what makes the example powerful.

FIFPRO membership can provide international recognition.

Collective bargaining can formalise representation.

Legal and welfare services can make a union useful.

But those achievements do not appear merely because an organisation gives itself a name.

Canada’s path shows something more demanding.

First, build the organisation.

Then earn the players’ confidence.

Then establish domestic legitimacy.

Then enter the international process.

Then demonstrate that the union can actually serve the footballers it represents.

Only after those stages came full membership.

Canada began in 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬.

It became a candidate member in 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭.

The players formally confirmed the union’s mandate in 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮.

And on 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, in Lisbon, Portugal, Canada reached full FIFPRO membership.

The journey took almost six years from formation to full international recognition.

There was no shortcut.

There was a process.

And perhaps that is the strongest lesson of all.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝙋𝙖𝙪𝙡 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙮 𝙊𝙠𝙤𝙠𝙪
FIFA Legend | Former Nigeria Flying Eagles Vice-Captain | Former Super Eagles International | AFCON Silver Medalist | Football Historian | Football Analyst | Investigative Football Writer | Journalist-at-Large | Founder & CEO, Greater Tomorrow Children’s Fund (GTCF)

The post 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗗𝗔: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗡𝗢𝗡-𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗣𝗥𝗢 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 — 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗥 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗣 appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

Grassroots football is much more than a pathway for discovering talented players. When properly organised, it becomes the foundation of a wider sports ecosystem—connecting young players, academies, coaches, scouts, agents, clubs, sponsors, media, communities and professional competitions.

Grassroots football remains one of the most important foundations for the growth and sustainability of football in Nigeria. Long before a young player steps into a professional stadium, signs a contract or attracts the attention of scouts, the journey often begins on a community pitch, in a local competition or inside a football academy.

The strength of grassroots football therefore has a direct relationship with the quality of players eventually produced for professional clubs and national teams.

A strong academy culture provides structure to raw talent. It moves young players beyond simply playing football and introduces them to coaching, discipline, fitness, tactical education, teamwork, education and personal development.

This is where the difference between merely having talented youngsters and actually producing footballers becomes important.

An academy should not only ask, “How good is this player today?” It should also ask, “What can this player become in three, five or ten years?”

Proper player documentation, age-group competitions, qualified coaches, medical support, safeguarding, education and consistent competition can help academies create an environment where talent is developed rather than merely discovered.

The modern football economy increasingly treats players as valuable sporting assets. A well-developed player can become an important product for an academy, club, agent and ultimately the wider football industry.

When a player receives quality coaching and competitive exposure, his technical ability, tactical understanding, discipline and professional profile can improve. This creates opportunities for movement from grassroots football to academies, from academies to professional clubs, and eventually to international football.

For Nigerian football, this pathway can also create opportunities for player exports, transfer income and stronger relationships with clubs.

Grassroots football generates activity far beyond the 22 players on the pitch.

Every organised competition creates opportunities for coaches, referees, scouts, physiotherapists, sports administrators, journalists, photographers, content creators, kit manufacturers, venue operators, transport providers, security personnel and sponsors.

This is why investment in grassroots football should be viewed as investment in a sports economy.

A properly organised youth tournament can become a meeting point for talent identification, business networking, community development and sports marketing.

The Role of Competitions

Regular competitions are particularly important because training without meaningful competition can limit development.

Tournaments such as community leagues, academy competitions and structured grassroots championships give young players the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities under pressure. They also provide scouts and clubs with a clearer picture of how players perform against quality opposition.

Competitions can therefore serve as a bridge between the academy and the professional game.

Building a Sustainable Future

Nigeria has enormous football talent, but talent alone is not enough. The country needs a stronger development chain linking the community pitch to the academy, the academy to professional football and professional football to the international market.

The objective should be to build a system in which young players are properly identified, trained, documented, protected and exposed to competitive football.

Grassroots football is consequently not the bottom of the football pyramid—it is its foundation.

When the foundation becomes stronger, academies become more productive, players become better prepared, clubs gain a deeper talent pool and the wider sports ecosystem becomes more commercially viable.

The future of Nigerian football will depend not only on the stars already playing at the highest level, but also on how effectively the next generation is discovered and developed at grassroots level.

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By: Sunday Agunbiade (Mr VAR)

Best Talent FC made a powerful statement in their opening clash of the NextGen Elite Championship (NEC), cruising to an emphatic 4–1 victory over Saki Stars SC at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

The Mowe-based side, known as “The Integrity Side” showed attacking quality, composure and determination to secure all three points in an entertaining encounter.
Best Talent FC opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through Usman Musa, who finished clinically to put his side ahead.

Saki Stars responded in the 37th minute, finding the equaliser and ensuring both teams went into the interval on level terms

However, the Adeyinka Adeyemo’s boys returned from the break with renewed purpose. Asaolu Joshua restored the lead in the 56th minute assisted by Usman Musa before O. Ezekiel took centre stage, scoring twice in the 82nd and 88th minutes to complete a convincing 4–1 victory.

The result gives Best Talent FC an excellent start to their NextGen Elite Championship campaign and underlines the quality and potential within their young squad.

Reacting to the impressive performance, Best Talent FC Head Coach, Farouk Yusuf, praised his players for their character, discipline and willingness to execute the team’s plans.
“I am very proud of the boys. They showed character, discipline and the hunger to win. Even when Saki Stars equalised, they did not panic. They stayed focused, trusted the process and responded strongly in the second half.

“The goals were a reflection of the hard work we have been putting in during training. I particularly commend the entire team because football is not about one player. The boys who scored deserve the praise, but the work done by everyone on the pitch made those goals possible.

“This is only our first game. We will celebrate this victory, but we must remain humble and continue working. The NextGen Championship is a platform for these young players to develop, gain visibility and attract opportunities. Our responsibility is to keep preparing them for the next level.”

With the opening victory secured, Best Talent FC will now look to build on this impressive beginning as the NextGen Elite Championship continues, with their young talents already providing plenty to watch out for.

BEST TALENT FC 4–1 SAKI STARS SC
⚽ 23′ U. Musa — Best Talent
⚽ 37′ Saki Stars
⚽ 56′ A. Joshua — Best Talent
⚽ 82′ O. Ezekiel — Best Talent
⚽ 88′ O. Ezekiel — Best Talent

Venue: MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta
Date: 19 September 2026
Competition: NextGen Elite Championship (NEC).

The post NEXTGEN ELITE CHAMPIONSHIP: BEST TALENT FC START CAMPAIGN IN STYLE, THRASH SAKI STARS 4–1 appeared first on Princemediacenter360.

By

Princewill Oviesan Deduke

The final journey of renowned engineer and former member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Samuel Effiong Akpanamasi, was marked by an impressive gathering of family members, professional colleagues, traditional rulers, political figures and friends who came together to celebrate a life of service, integrity and lasting impact.

Akpanamasi, who died at the age of 81, was remembered not only for his professional accomplishments as an engineer but also for the values he brought to his family, church and community throughout his lifetime.

Among those present at the burial ceremony was Mrs. Dora Amahian, immediate past Deputy Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, alongside several distinguished Nigerians who paid their respects to the deceased.

Former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Moses Ekpo, described Akpanamasi as a great man whose contribution to community development and professional practice would remain a reference point.

Ekpo recalled that the deceased was his contemporary in college, stressing that the large gathering at his burial was evidence of the number of lives he touched during his lifetime.

“He was an enigma,” Ekpo asserted, while noting that Akpanamasi served his generation and community with dedication and brought his engineering experience to bear on societal development.

Adm  Dr Stanley Ojuolape FCIA who was also the former chairman of the college of fellows, while consoling his amiable wife, Bar Mrs Ifiok Ojuolape fcia and the entire family, described the deceased as a man whose exemplary life provided important lessons for the younger generation. He urged young Nigerians to emulate the values and legacy Akpanamasi left behind.

According to him, the late engineer’s life demonstrated the importance of responsibility, service, family values and commitment to society.

“Nigeria would be a better society if our younger generation can emulate the legacies left behind by the deceased,” Ojuolape said.

The College of Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Administration was represented by a delegation led by former CIA President Dr. Festus Osoba, further underscoring the professional respect Akpanamasi commanded beyond his immediate community.

Other notable personalities at the ceremony included Prince Kazeeem Eletu, Oba Yisa Oyedele, the Orimedu of Orimeduland, Lekki, Lagos; and other members of the professional, traditional and social communities. Also present was Hon yaya Dosunmu, APC stalwart and former Lagos Island Chairman in 80s,

The gathering ultimately became more than a funeral. It was a celebration of an 81-year journey, with mourners reflecting on the relationships, professional service and community contributions that defined Akpanamasi’s years on earth.

For the family, the tributes offered some measure of comfort as they mourned a patriarch whose influence extended from his home to the wider professional and community circles he served.

His passing may have closed a chapter, but the testimonies at his burial showed that the values and memories associated with Engr. Samuel Effiong Akpanamasi remain firmly embedded in the lives of those he left behind.

The post Akpanamasi: Tributes Pour In As Eminent Nigerians Celebrate Life, Legacy Of Renowned Engineer.  appeared first on Princemediacenter360.