From winning the Showtime Bowl trophy with the Warriors to now leading Team Nigeria to continental victory, Anuoluwapo Bello has emerged as the defining face of African women’s flag football.

On the final day of the 2025 IFAF Africa Flag Football Continental Championship, Bello delivered a masterclass in leadership and precision, throwing two decisive second-half touchdowns in Nigeria’s commanding 26–12 win over Morocco to seal the gold medal in the women’s tournament.

It was a moment that not only elevated her profile as one of the sport’s rising stars but also solidified Nigeria’s growing dominance in flag football on the continent.

“This is a great achievement for us and I’m proud of every woman out here,” Bello said after the game. “I feel excited for the girls here. There is an opportunity to go to the World Championships and show everyone what we can do.”

Her words captured the spirit of a championship that marked a historic milestone on the road to flag football’s Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.

Later that evening, Nigeria’s men’s team added a second gold medal to the tally in a nail-biting 13–12 victory over host nation Egypt, sealing an emphatic Nigerian sweep in both categories and triggering celebration across the country.

Showtime’s Signature All Over Nigeria’s Success

What makes these victories even more significant is that a majority of the athletes and coaches representing Nigeria—both male and female—are products of Showtime, Nigeria’s leading professional flag football league.

The Showtime League, now recognized as a key national pipeline for talent, was instrumental in grooming stars like Bello. Her earlier triumph with the Warriors at Showtime Bowl XII now seems like a prelude to her continental explosion.

From the structure of its league games to the consistent exposure it offers athletes, Showtime has built an ecosystem that now feeds directly into national excellence. Out of the 12 men who represented Nigeria in Cairo, 10 are either active in Showtime or were first developed there, while most of the women, including Bello, trace their competitive roots to the same league.

NSC’s Vision Proves Prophetic

The victories also serve as a resounding endorsement of the National Sports Commission (NSC), whose leadership—DG Hon. Bukola Olopade and Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko—has been instrumental in pushing for greater unity and structure within the sport.

During the jersey unveiling ahead of the tournament, DG Olopade had emphasized the need for synergy between NAFA (Nigerian American Football Association) and Showtime to establish a more structured national league system. His words are now being viewed as visionary, as Nigeria reaps the rewards of collaboration between federation leadership and private initiative.

“If you guys come together, this sport will take Nigeria by storm—I have no doubt,” the DG had said.

Now, in the wake of Nigeria’s double gold haul, many across the nation are echoing that belief, calling for the formation of a formal Nigerian Flag Football Federation, led by those who have clearly proven their ability to deliver results at the highest level.

Africa Takes the Stage — And Nigeria Leads the Charge

Held at Club One Stadium in Maadi, Cairo, the IFAF Africa Flag Football Championships featured 11 teams from 8 countries, making it the first event in IFAF’s 2025 Continental Championship series and a major step toward LA28.

The tournament was delivered in partnership with the NFL, which hosted a suite of development activities including a continental U12 youth championship, NFL talent ID camps, and female coaching clinics. NFL stars like Bobby Okereke, Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Osi Umenyiora attended the finals, bringing global visibility to Africa’s growing flag football scene.

With their double victory, Nigeria’s men and women have now qualified for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, further positioning the nation as a flag football powerhouse and Olympic contender.

A New Era Begins

IFAF President Pierre Trochet summed it up best: “Every player and official who set foot on the field in Cairo this week can claim a piece of history… But the history is less important than the future.”

For Anuoluwapo Bello, for Showtime, and for Nigeria — that future is already in motion. And it’s never looked brighter.

Sports247.ng

Following two days of intense football action at the NITEL Ground in Lagos, organisers of the FC Bayern Youth Cup, Nigeria have officially announced the 10 standout players selected to represent the country at the global finals in Munich, Germany, later this year.

Under the keen observation of international scouts, twelve U-16 teams participated in the seventh edition of the Nigerian leg of the prestigious youth tournament, which aims to discover and develop emerging football talents.

The selected players who will don Nigeria’s colours at the FC Bayern Youth Cup in Munich are:

Murtala Yusuf (Ablaze FA)

Esho Idris (Inspire FA)

Nyada ThankGod (Shuffle FA)

Anayo Israel David (Select FA)

Gorku Ishiaku (Beta FA)

Timothy Israel (Dan FA)

Hussaini Abubakar (Dan FA)

Victor Juan Chiosa (Alpha FA)

Agbonjimi Timilehin (Ablaze FA)

Issac Okeoghene (Ablaze FA)

In addition, 10 players were named on the standby list as a reserve squad:

Odika Kelechi

Echeta Somtochukwu

Joseph Michael

Teslim Luqman

Henry Mathew

Ibrahim Kebira

Mathew Timothy

Yahaya Hassan

Akinmosin Michael

Aungbi Idowu

The national finals climaxed with Ablaze Football Academy of Lagos emerging as champions, edging Inspire FA 4–3 on penalties after a goalless regulation time.

The FC Bayern Youth Cup serves as a platform for young talents to showcase their abilities and potentially earn pathways to European football.

Among the dignitaries present was Victor Orakpo, a breakout star from the 2022 edition, who currently plays professionally for OGC Nice in France’s Ligue 1.

The selected Nigerian team will now begin preparations ahead of their international showdown in Munich, where they will compete with other top youth teams from across the globe.

Sports.ng

History was made this weekend as Nigeria’s women’s flag football team claimed the 2025 IFAF Africa Flag Women’s Championship, defeating Morocco in a thrilling final to become the undisputed queens of African flag football.

With power, passion, and unmatched precision, the Nigerian squad dominated the tournament from start to finish, showcasing the very best of what the continent has to offer in talent, teamwork, and tenacity.

From the opening whistle to the euphoric final celebration, every play reflected months of grit, discipline, and belief.

This historic achievement marks more than just a gold medal — it is a powerful validation of the years of groundwork laid by Nigeria’s homegrown leagues, most notably the Showtime Flag Football League, whose athletes, systems, and philosophy were at the heart of this championship run.

Of the 12 players on the squad, 10 are Showtime alumni, and most of the coaching crew have been sharpened within Showtime’s professional framework.

The majority of the female stars who shone in Cairo got their first national-stage experience under Showtime’s pioneering Third-Down Female Rule, a bold regulation introduced to promote gender inclusion and quarterback development for women in Nigeria.

“We didn’t just talk, we led a movement,” said Azeez Amida, Chairman of Showtime Flag Football. “Seeing our players lead Nigeria to the top of Africa only confirms what we’ve always believed — with the right structure, investment, and vision, Nigeria can dominate this sport.”

This victory comes on the heels of Showtime’s record-breaking Season XII, which featured 33 games, thousands of plays, and showcased the technical depth that has now conquered the continent. Nigeria’s win proves the league’s commitment to growth, infrastructure, gender inclusion, and player development is producing results at the highest level.

As the team returns home with the championship trophy, they do so not just as winners — but as trailblazers who are rewriting the narrative of women’s sports in Africa, powered by a system built at home and now celebrated across the continent.

The 2025 IFAF Africa Flag Women’s Championship may have ended, but for Nigeria, a new era has just begun — one led by women who rose through Showtime, and a league that continues to raise the bar for Africa.

Sports247.ng