Sports

Falcons plan protest, World Cup boycott as NFF cancels bonuses

Published

3 years ago

July 7, 2023

Super Falcons

Falcons plan protest, World Cup boycott as NFF cancels bonuses

The Super Falcons are planning to stage a strike and boycott their opening game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup after the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation Dr Mohammed Sanusi told them their match bonuses for the competition had been cancelled by the federation.

A camp source said the decision was taken after six senior players — captain Onome Ebi, Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala, Ohale Osinachi, Tochukwu Oluehi and Desire Oparanozie — held a lengthy meeting on arrival at the Mercure Resorts, Gold Coast, following Sanusi’s announcement.

“We are going ahead to press for our demands,” a senior player told The PUNCH. “We are ready to go as far as missing our first game against Canada July 21 because this has to stop.

“On Wednesday night, we held a meeting where we agreed that we were going to find out if what we were asking for is legitimate, and that if it’s legitimate, we will press for our demands. It was what was agreed. The next meeting will be after we get the information we need and then the protest will start.”

It was learnt that shortly before the Nigerian contingent departed Abuja for Australia July 2, Sanusi, during a meeting with the players, told them that they would not be paid match bonuses by the federation, since FIFA had already announced that every player would get $30,000 in the group stage of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

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The PUNCH was told that he also announced that the players would no longer be given 30 per cent from the $1,560,000 FIFA grant to all member associations for the group stage of the competition

Our source said the players were stunned “after Sanusi landed the sucker punch.”

“The General Secretary came for the meeting clutching so many papers; he told us that we won’t be paid match bonuses at the World Cup because FIFA had already given each player $30,000 for the group stage. He also said we won’t get 30 per cent from the $1,560,000 FIFA would give the NFF.

“We were shocked, team morale went down immediately because we couldn’t believe what the man was saying,” our source said.

“One of the oldest players in the team asked him if FIFA would deduct the money ($30,000) they would give us from the $1.5m they gave the federation but he (Sanusi) said no. So, she said if its like that, then it shouldn’t affect our match bonuses. After several minutes of argument, Sanusi asked us if we would have preferred the $9,000 match bonus or the $30,000 from FIFA.”

Our source dismissed reports that American team coach Randy Waldrum had instigated the players to stage “a coup” against the federation.

“That’s not true, it’s a ploy to distract Nigerians from the truth. Randy has no hand in this. We’ve been suffering this maltreatment and injustice long before he took charge of the team. When the team revolted after the 2018 WAFCON and the 2019 World Cup, was Randy with us? We are fighting a good cause, we don’t need anyone to push us. They should allow the coach do his job.

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“Since the federation is treating us like this, we have decided to stage a protest before the competition begins, so that the whole world will know what we are passing through. We can’t keep suffering and smiling.

“At the last World Cup, the same thing happened and we were shortchanged, we won’t allow this to happen any longer. They dare not treat the Super Eagles like this. Is it because we are women? We must put a stop to this this time around.”

NFF president Ibrahim Gusau and Sanusi did not respond to telephone calls on the matter, while they also didn’t reply to the text and WhatsApp messages sent to their phones as of the time of filing this report.

It’s not the first time the Falcons would be involved in a bonus row at an international tournament.

The record African champions refused to travel back home after winning the 2004 WAFCON in South Africa, insisting they were paid their bonuses first.

In 2016, after returning from Cameroon with an eighth WAFCON trophy, they also staged a sit-in protest at their Abuja hotel to press home their claims for each player to be paid $16,500 after their triumph.

Striker Desire Oparanozie was stripped of her captaincy and banished from the team after she led a bonus protest at the 2019 World Cup in France, while the squad also boycotted training sessions ahead of their third-place clash agains Zambia at last year’s WAFCON in Morocco over same issue.

Falcons plan protest, World Cup boycott as NFF cancels bonuses

Sports

Ivory Coast Footballer Arrested Over Spot-Fixing Allegations

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

Trends Admin

Elye Wahi

Ivory Coast Footballer Arrested Over Spot-Fixing Allegations

Less than two weeks before he started for Ivory Coast at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, forward Elye Wahi was reportedly arrested by French police as part of an ongoing investigation into match-fixing allegations. The 23-year-old striker is suspected of deliberately earning a yellow card while playing for Ligue 1 club Nice against Metz on May 17, an incident that has triggered an investigation into organized fraud, sports corruption, and money laundering.

According to a report by The Athletic, suspicious betting patterns were flagged to the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) regarding wagers placed on Wahi receiving a yellow card during the Nice-Metz fixture. The former RC Lens and Montpellier forward was indeed shown a caution in the 35th minute following a late challenge on Metz defender Sadibou Sane. The booking meant Wahi reached the suspension threshold, forcing him to miss the first leg of Nice’s relegation playoff against Saint-Etienne.

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Wahi was arrested by French police on May 29—ironically, immediately after he scored twice in Nice’s 4-1 victory over Saint-Etienne in the second leg, a performance that secured the club’s Ligue 1 status and earned him man of the match honours. A spokesperson for the Marseille public prosecutor’s office confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 footballer had been arrested as part of an investigation into allegations of “organized fraud, organized sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering.” The player was subsequently released after being interviewed in police custody and has not been charged with any offence, with the investigation remaining ongoing.

Despite the investigation, Wahi travelled to North America for the World Cup and started in Ivory Coast’s 1-0 Group E victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia, hitting the crossbar in the second half before being substituted. The forward, who represented France at youth level before switching allegiance to Ivory Coast earlier this year, was named in the Ivorian World Cup squad on May 15—just days before the match at the centre of the investigation. It remains unclear whether the ongoing case could affect Wahi’s eligibility to continue playing in the tournament, with Ivory Coast next facing Germany in Toronto on Saturday. FIFA has not commented on whether it was informed of Wahi’s arrest before his appearance against Ecuador.

Ivory Coast Footballer Arrested Over Spot-Fixing Allegations

Sports

World Cup 2026: Why Saudi Arabia’s Flag Cannot Touch the Ground

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

Trends Admin

Saudi Arabia national flag

World Cup 2026: Why Saudi Arabia’s Flag Cannot Touch the Ground

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has not only delivered excitement on the pitch but has also sparked curiosity over a unique tradition involving the Saudi Arabia national flag.

Ahead of Saudi Arabia’s opening Group H match against Uruguay, football fans noticed that while other national flags were laid out on the field during FIFA’s pre-match ceremony, the Saudi flag was handled differently and never allowed to touch the ground.

The reason lies in the flag’s deep religious significance.

Unlike most national flags, the Saudi Arabian flag bears the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith written in Arabic, which translates to: “There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Because these words are considered sacred in Islam, the flag is treated with exceptional reverence both within Saudi Arabia and internationally.

For this reason, Saudi authorities maintain strict rules regarding the display and handling of the flag. It must not touch the ground, water, or any surface that could be considered disrespectful. The same principle applies to its use on disposable items, promotional materials, or objects that may be stepped on or discarded.

This special status has led international organizations, including FIFA, to adopt specific protocols whenever the Saudi flag is displayed at major sporting events. During the World Cup 2026, organizers ensured that the flag remained elevated rather than being spread across the pitch alongside those of other competing nations.

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The Saudi flag is also unique in another important way. It is the only national flag in the world that is never flown at half-mast, even during periods of national mourning or after the death of a king.

Saudi authorities argue that lowering a flag bearing the Shahada would be inappropriate because the inscription represents eternal religious beliefs rather than a political institution. As a result, the flag remains fully raised at all times.

The design itself also sets the flag apart from others. Since Arabic is read from right to left, the inscription must appear correctly on both sides of the flag. To achieve this, Saudi flags are often manufactured with two identical panels sewn together, ensuring the sacred text remains readable from either direction.

The flag’s origins date back to banners used by forces allied with the House of Saud during the kingdom’s early formation. Following the establishment of modern Saudi Arabia in 1932, the design evolved into its current form, featuring the Shahada above a white sword symbolizing justice, strength, and the unification of the kingdom.

As the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues, the handling of the Saudi flag has drawn global attention and highlighted the intersection of sport, culture, and religion on football’s biggest stage.

The incident serves as a reminder that the Saudi Arabia flag is not merely a national symbol but also a sacred religious emblem, making it unlike any other flag competing in the tournament.

World Cup 2026: Why Saudi Arabia’s Flag Cannot Touch the Ground

Sports

Three Records, One Night: Messi’s Hat-Trick Powers Argentina Past Algeria

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

Trends Admin

Three Records, One Night: Messi’s Hat-Trick Powers Argentina Past Algeria

Argentina captain Lionel Messi delivered another unforgettable performance on the grandest stage of world football, scoring a stunning hat-trick to lead Argentina to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria and etch his name even deeper into FIFA World Cup history.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner struck once in the first half before adding two more goals after the break at the Kansas City Stadium, ensuring the reigning world champions secured all three points in emphatic fashion.

Beyond the victory, the match became a landmark occasion for Messi, who shattered multiple World Cup records in a single night.

The 38-year-old Inter Miami star became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score against 11 different national teams. In doing so, he moved past former Brazil great Ronaldo Nazário and Germany legend Jürgen Klinsmann, who previously shared the record with goals against 10 different countries.

Messi also set a new age-related milestone. At 38 years and 357 days, he became the oldest player ever to score multiple goals — and a hat-trick — in a World Cup match. The achievement eclipsed the long-standing record held by Cameroon icon Roger Milla, whose exploits at the 1990 tournament had stood as a benchmark for more than three decades.

The historic evening carried even greater significance as it marked Messi’s 200th appearance for Argentina, extending his record as the most-capped player in the nation’s history. No other footballer has represented the South American giants as many times as the veteran playmaker.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever to grace the game, Messi continues to defy age and expectations, adding new chapters to a career already packed with records, trophies and individual honours.

Having inspired Argentina to victory over Algeria, the legendary forward will now turn his attention to the team’s next World Cup assignment against Austria on Monday, where he will seek to continue his remarkable run and guide the Albiceleste closer to another successful campaign.