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Asaba 2023 NYG: Lagos Reviews Participation, Unveils Plans For Discovered Talent

The Lagos State Sports Commission has unveiled plans that will bolster the state’s gains from the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) held in Delta State.

The Team Lagos took second place overall, maintaining its previous position for the fourth time in a row.

Represented by over 300 athletes who competed in 33 individual and team events during the 10-day celebration in Asaba, the Lagos team won 62 medals; 21 gold, 19 silver and 21 bronze.

The management of the sports commission summarized the Lagos team’s participation in the National Youth Games after the event and described the successful trip as an indicator for the further development of grassroots and school sports.

Executive Chairman Sola Aiyepeku, Directors and Heads of Departments have congratulated the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, government agencies and key stakeholders on the success at the National Youth Games.

Aiyepeku said the Sports Commission would organize more competitions to stimulate the interest of young athletes and encourage them to become successful athletes who would represent the country at international championships.

Aiyepeku also called for a critical review of the National Youth Games with the aim of changing the age group categorization of development competitions in line with international best practices.

Nunayon Travih, director of sports development said that the athletes would be given a platform to compete with their seniors in all competitions and if they dethrone the senior athletes, they would be eligible to represent the state at the Gateway Games National Sports Commission next year.

“We will continue to provide them with a platform to disseminate their talents and that cannot be withheld from them.” »
Director of Public Affairs, Oshodi-Eko Titilayo, stressed that the management approach at the Youth Games did not only focus on the medals won by the state but added that the focus was on the athletes’ individual performances.

“Before we went for the Games in Asaba we had a “celebration series” to celebrate each athlete and to encourage others to put up a good feat. “Our youngest athlete, 8-year-old golfer, Oyero Beauty was celebrated for her heroic Performance having played 18 holes for over five hours on the course.

“Some Team Lagos athletes have also been invited to the national camp to represent Nigeria. Some outstanding thletes who featured in the National Youth Games will also participate in the National Sports Festival which will come up in Ogun State next year”
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Director of School Sports, Oluyomi Oluwasanmi highlighted that the pool of talents that represented the state was drawn from private and public schools.

“Lagos State” won 7 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze medals in swimming. So, barring a single gold medal in Ilorin in 2021, we see that collaboration between the Ministry of Education and private school owners is quickly yielding positive results.
The Head of the Technical Department, Uthman Okunnu, said: “Here in Lagos, our athletes are constantly monitored without the need for them to travel. Because we have our own facilities on site. There is a lot of material for them.

“Victory may not be our goal here, but we want to see the transition from one phase to the next where they become our property.”
The Director of Facilities, Deji Aladegbemi, noted that Lagos is the only state that regularly hosts local and international tournaments, adding that the Center of Excellence will continue to closely monitor young talents to reach the peak of their careers.

The State’s achievements at the National Youth Games are the result of development plans implemented over the years and Lagos has over the years supported the development of school sports and encouraged young people to combine sports and studies.
The Youth Games, organized to facilitate the discovery of promising talents in the country for their further development, has resulted in many Lagos State athletes being selected by the Federal Ministry of Sports through the Sports Federations for further training and exposure.

The Lagos team dominated Asaba 2023 swimming competition for the first time in the history of the National Youth Games, leading the state to victory in the competition with 16 medals. 7 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze.

Excluding Zamfara, 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory participated in the 7th National Youth Games with over 5,000 athletes participating in various events.

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FIFA Confirms Phased Ticket Release For World Cup 2026

If you want to attend FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, the biggest questions right now is when can you start booking tickets and how much will it cost? Here’s everything you need to know about ticket release dates and prices.

FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets: When can you book them and how much will they cost?

The tickets for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will go live on 10 September, it has been announced. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the first-ever tri-nation tournament as it will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. It will also include 48 teams, the highest for any FIFA World Cup.

The tickets for the World Cup 2026 will be released in multiple phases from 10 September and fans can purchase the tickets from FIFA’s website. FIFA’s official ticketing platform is fifa.com/tickets. The world governing body for football has also announced that it will launch a resale platform to ensure legitimate transactions and control over prices.

How much will tickets cost for FIFA World Cup 2026?
The prices for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will vary as per the stage of the tournament and the venue. However, as per beIN Sports, the estimated prices for different stages would vary from $118 to $1,882.

Estimated price for FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets in USD:

Opening match: $353 – $706

Group stage: $82 – $259

Round of 16: $118 – $318

Quarter-finals: $235 – $494

Semi-finals: $412 – $1,118

Final: $706 – $1,882

FIFA World Cup 2026 VIP and hospitality packages
FIFA has already announced VIP and hospitality packages to provide a luxurious experience for fans.

Here are the VIP and hospitality packages:

US Venue Series: 4–9 matches in a single host city at a minimum cost of $8,275 USD

US Four-Match Series: Four group-stage matches across multiple venues at a minimum cost of $5,300 USD

Follow My Team Series: All group-stage matches of a particular team (excluding host nations) at a minimum cost of $6,750 USD.

FIFA has so far not confirmed if the dynamic pricing strategy will be used during the ticket sale. The dynamic pricing was used during the ticket sales for FIFA Club World Cup whcih led to massive fluctuations in the final cost.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will run from 11 June to 19 July. The first match will take place at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, while the final will be played at New York’s New Jersey Stadium.

Firstpost.com

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Lionesses’ UK Viewership Double Chelsea CWC Final

England’s 6-1 dismantling of Wales in their final UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 group-stage match was more than double the UK audience for FIFA’s Club World Cup final between Chelsea and PSG on the same evening.

The Lionesses drew an average of 2.9 million viewers on ITV1, peaking at 4.4 million.

Across all platforms, including streaming and ITVX, the Lionesses’ match averaged 4.2 million and peaked at 4.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched Women’s Euros match in the UK so far. It also delivered ITV1’s highest peak audience since the Britain’s Got Talent final in May and contributed to the network’s strongest Sunday night performance of the year across its portfolio.

Meanwhile, Channel 5’s concurrent coverage of Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final managed an average of just 1.1 million viewers, peaking at 2.3 million.

While Channel 5, which sublicensed 23 matches from DAZN, insisted it was “happy” with the performance, the figures underline the tournament’s limited traction in the UK, even with an English club lifting the trophy.

The scheduling clash on July 13 again raises questions about FIFA’s decision to wedge its expanded Club World Cup into an already congested calendar. For a tournament already widely criticised for its bloated format and lack of identity, the underwhelming viewership figures offer little vindication for what was a made-for-TV event driven more by commercial ambition than sporting integrity.

Outside of the UK it is a slightly different picture.

Public broadcaster France 2 aired the Women’s Euros clash between France and the Netherlands, drawing fewer than 2.3 million viewers. Commercial broadcaster TF1, which opted to show the Club World Cup final instead, pulled in a stronger audience of 4.8 million — as France’s most successful club took on Chelsea with the chance to win a historic sextuple.

Still, the concept of a Women’s Euros group stage match – with France already through – drawing figures which stand up to FIFA’s ‘must-watch’ event is a testament to two realities: women’s football is becoming increasingly popular and the Club World Cup wasn’t the must-watch event that FIFA president Gianni Infantino said it would be.

As the Women’s Euros moves into its knockout phase, attention will now shift to the quarter-finals starting this evening as Norway take on Italy. ITV and the BBC will continue to share broadcast duties, with ITV holding first pick for a semi-final and both networks airing the final on July 27.

If they can reach the final, expect the Lionesses to continue to blow FIFA’s club-centric creation out of the water – with viewership numbers predicted to skyrocket as national pride hits fever pitch.

Insideworldfootball.com

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News

Osimhen Transfer Saga: Napoli President’s Son Gets Death Threat

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis and his son have received death threats from Galatasaray fans instructing them to sanction Victor Osimhen’s move to the Turkish club.

WHAT HAPPENED?
De Laurentiis and his son Edoardo were handed death threats by a Galatasaray fan who seemed angry at Osimhen’s transfer saga. The Napoli chief’s son was sent vulgar messages on WhatsApp, commanding him not to oppose Osimhen’s permanent move to the Super Lig side, and a screenshot was shared on X by Turkish journalist Samet Cayir.

THE BIGGER PICTURE
After spending four seasons at Napoli since his move from Lille in 2020, Osimhen joined Galatasaray last summer on loan. He shone bright and recorded 45 goal contributions in 41 games, which was made up of 37 goals and eight assists. His impressive form led to the Turkish club urging a permanent transfer. However, his parent club Napoli have laid out certain terms which are deemed unacceptable by Galatasaray. Napoli had requested €40 million plus €35m to be paid by 2026 and a percentage from any future resale, while the Super Lig side wanted to delay the second instalment to 2027 and remove the resale clause. With such rigorous negotiations, Osimhen’s future is yet to be sorted out.

DID YOU KNOW?
Osimhen, who has 26 goals in 41 games for Nigeria, was the Super Lig’s top scorer last season with 26 goals, five more than Basaksehir’s Krzysztof Piatek.

WHAT NEXT FOR OSIMHEN?
Talks are continuing between Galatasaray and Napoli, with the Italian champions certain that the striker does not have a future at the club.

Goal.com

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