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“We Are Not a Small Team” — Chelle Vows to Defend Super Eagles’ Philosophy Against Portugal

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Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has declared that Nigeria will approach Wednesday’s international friendly against Portugal with confidence and a clear football identity, insisting that his side should not be regarded as underdogs.

Nigeria will take on Portugal at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria in a high-profile clash expected to test the Super Eagles against one of Europe’s top national teams ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking before the encounter, Chelle stressed that the focus of his team is not on reputation or status, but on implementing their style of play and football philosophy.

“We are not a small team, we come into the game with our strengths and weaknesses,” Chelle said.

“This is not a question of who is the best team, I’m only thinking about our style and our philosophy. It would be a great game.”

The match represents Portugal’s final warm-up fixture before the start of the FIFA World Cup, while Nigeria continue preparations for future international competitions after narrowly missing out on qualification for the mundial.

Under Chelle, the Super Eagles have shown signs of progress, remaining unbeaten in recent matches and recording victories against Zimbabwe, Jamaica, and Poland, while also successfully retaining the Unity Cup.

Portugal, led by Roberto Martínez, are also enjoying strong form and are expected to parade a star-studded squad as they fine-tune preparations for the World Cup.

Nigeria and Portugal have met only once previously at senior level, with the Portuguese side securing a 4-0 win in an international friendly played in Lisbon in November 2022.

Wednesday’s encounter is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm Nigerian time.

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NDC: Politicians detest judiciary when it goes against them – Gov Sani

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Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has called on Nigerian politicians to desist from politicising everything, including judicial matters, stating that it is not healthy for the nation’s democracy.

Sani made this remark on Tuesday when he featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He was speaking on the recent court judgement on the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.

Recall that a Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the NDC as a political party.

Reacting, Sani said, “When it favours politicians, they feel the judiciary is the best place to go, when it goes against them, they feel the judiciary is the worst place to go.

“For some of us that believe in democracy and the rule of law, we have to be very careful. Politicizing every issue is not healthy for us, because many actors that are involved in this NDC issue have been beneficiaries of the judiciary.

“Maybe you have to cast your mind back that even the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was also someone that benefited from a very strong judicial pronouncement when he was governor of Anambra state.”

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Behold the Talking Points, Expectations as NPFL Unveils Kick-Off Date for 2026/27 Season

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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has officially announced that the 2026/27 season will kick off on August 28, 2026, setting the stage for what is expected to be one of the most ambitious and competitive campaigns in the history of Nigerian domestic football.

READ ALSO: NPFL Sets Historic N1 Billion Prize for 2026/27 Champions

With major reforms already unveiled by the league organisers, the new season carries huge expectations from clubs, players, officials and supporters across the country.

Among the biggest talking points is the introduction of a record ₦1 billion prize for the league champions, while the runners-up and third-placed teams are expected to receive ₦500 million and ₦300 million respectively.

The enhanced financial rewards are aimed at improving professionalism and increasing competitiveness in the league.

Player welfare has also received a significant boost with the introduction of a minimum monthly salary of ₦2 million for NPFL players, a move designed to improve living standards and reduce the migration of talented footballers abroad.

Infrastructure development remains another major focus ahead of the new campaign.

Clubs have been directed to upgrade their stadiums, medical facilities and security arrangements to meet club licensing requirements, with failure to comply potentially leading to the loss of hosting rights.

On the commercial side, organisers are working towards expanding television and digital broadcast partnerships to increase the visibility of the NPFL and attract more sponsors and football fans.

These expectations form the major talking points among the fans, and watchers of the league.

There are a certain level of doubts, amid hope on how the new reforms will transform into realities beyond just pronouncements.

Beyond the reforms, to the pitch the 2026/27 season is also expected to produce exciting rivalries, particularly in Lagos, where Sporting Lagos, Inter Lagos and Ikorodu City will all compete in the top flight, reviving the prospect of multiple Lagos derbies.

Meanwhile, clubs have intensified their transfer activities as they strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.

CAF representatives and newly promoted teams are among the busiest in the transfer market as they seek to build competitive squads.

With improved financial incentives, better infrastructure, technological upgrades and increased commercial opportunities, expectations are high that the 2026/27 NPFL season will mark another significant step in the growth of Nigerian league football.

The unveiling of the kick off date is the first step to a historic season with Rangers going in as defending Champions and four fresh private clubs join the fray from the lower leagues.

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