Nigeria Premier League

340,000 nights booked in Budapest for W/Athletics Championships

More than 2,100 athletes from more than 200 countries will arrive in Hungary for the World Athletics Championships between 19 and 27 August. Along with the athletes, countless fans from all over the world are coming to Budapest as well – reports Turizmus.com.

According to the latest data from the National Tourist Information Center, run by the Hungarian Tourism Agency (HTA), nearly 340,000 overnight bookings for the duration of the event have already been registered by the capital’s accommodation providers.

The Information Center reported that more than 70 percent of the overnight bookings in Budapest between 19 and 27 August were made by foreign visitors. Accommodation was booked in the capital from Australia, India, China, South Africa, Tunisia, Argentina, the United States and Canada. The main countries of origin include the traditional markets of our country. One in ten overnight bookings came from Israel, the United Kingdom or Germany, while 6% of the capital’s accommodation was pre-booked from Spain and Italy, each.

More than half of the nearly 230,000 foreign overnight bookings in Budapest for the World Championships were made at hotels – 60% of them in 4 and 5 star hotels – while almost 40% of bookings were made at private accommodation and other accommodation.
Around 80% of the 110,000 overnight bookings received from domestic guests were also registered in hotels in the capital, with two thirds of these in 4 and 5 star hotels.

Boats will also be available to travel to the World Athletics Championships. Photo: MTI/Zoltán Máthé

In its statement, the HTA stresses that sports tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors. The international competitions of the World Athletics Championships are of particular importance for the performance of the domestic tourism sector. Visitors to sports competitions tend to stay longer in Hungary, spend more on and use more high-quality accommodation and catering services than leisure tourists.

The World Athletics Championships have a significant impact on tourism, as fans not only visit Hungary for the duration of the event, but also extend their trip to discover our capital or the countryside,”
said Péter Horváth, CEO of the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Moreover, even more people will follow the events on TV.

Nearly a billion people will be reached by the broadcasts, which will be multiplied by the social media posts uploaded by the competitors and fans.
All of this will serve to promote Hungary. They all tell the story of what a safe and exciting destination our country is. It is no exaggeration to say that during this time, the eyes of the world will be on us. The tourism significance and long-term impact of this is almost incalculable, added the CEO.

Nigeria Premier League

Rangers’ Coach Rues Defeat At El-Kanemi, Says My Boys Lost Concentration When It Mattered

Rangers International FC’s coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, attributed his team’s 2-1 defeat to El-Kanemi Warriors FC in Maiduguri on Wednesday to lapses in concentration within his defence.

The NPFL matchday 21 clash saw El-Kanemi secured the win at the El-Kanemi Stadium, Maiduguri.

Ilechukwu, who also serves as an assistant coach for the Nigerian national team, acknowledged his players’ overall performance but highlighted two critical moments of defensive inattentiveness that allowed El-Kanemi to score.

He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and focusing on future achievements.

He described the current situation as a temporary setback and reassured fans that Rangers would soon return to winning form while urging his players to remain confident as they prepare for their next game against the high-scoring Ikorodu City.

El-Kanemi’s goals came from Nasiru Salihu, who scored in the 18th and 73rd minutes. Isaac Saviour scored the lone goal for Rangers in the 63rd minute.

Despite Rangers’ efforts to equalize, including the introduction of former World Cup star Michael Uchebo, El-Kanemi’s goalkeeper, Abine George, made crucial saves in extra time to secure the victory.

The win moved El-Kanemi Warriors into 4th place on the league table, while Rangers dropped to 6th.

Rangers will face Ikorodu City, who are currently 5th with the same number of points, at home on Monday, February 3, 2025, at 4:00 pm at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Nigeria Premier League

Ogunmodede reflects on Emo Stars’ win over Abia Warriors

Emo Stars technical adviser Daniel Ogunmodede admitted his side was fortunate to secure a 3-2 victory over Abia Warriors in Ikenne on Wednesday.

Abia Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Ayodele Eziekel and Anthony Ijoma. However, Emo Stars responded with three goals from Olamilekan Adebayo, Jabbar Malik, and Franck Mawuena to clinch the win.

Ogunmodede acknowledged that his team had underestimated their opponents but managed to turn things around. “The game was tense and shocking in the first half on our home ground. Not every time you will be lucky against a great team we played against,” he said in the post-match interview.

“We underestimated the qualities of our opponent, and we were punished for it. But luckily, we identified the problem and readjusted to get the victory.”

Emo Stars will now aim to build on this win as they continue their campaign

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars eye maximum points in midweek showdown with Ikorodu City

Kano Pillars are determined to secure all three points in their upcoming fixture against Ikorodu City in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The Sai Masu Gida will face Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday.

Usman Abdallah’s side is upbeat and focused ahead of the match, with the players in high spirits.

“Done and dusted with the shake-ups ahead of our NPFL25 Matchday 21 clash against Ikorodu City this Wednesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos,” Kano Pillars wrote on X.

“The boys are in high spirits and determined to secure maximum points as we aim to continue our impressive run this season.”

Kano Pillars currently sit in eighth place on the league table with 28 points.